After Reading About Tiny Little Houses with Ingenious Storage.....

I enjoy looking at picture books of houses...magazines too....but only the realistic ones.  I'm not going to mention names of magazines here, but you know the fancy ones I'm speaking of that show photos of homes that can't possibly be homes that us normal folks live in!  Anyway, back to tiny homes.  Here's what I recommend to take a look at to get ideas of your own that will help you with your own storage techniques....

The book is called, The Very Small Home: Japanese Ideas for Living Well in Limited Space by Azby Brown.  I think I must've thumbed through it about 10 times....seeing something new in each crisp and clear photograph.  What neat ideas and look how creative people can be!

I then stumbled across this website.  Stop by Decorating a Tiny House to get your own ideas!  Do you have any ideas to share!

Organizing Storage Place in a Home with No Storage

I am absolutely NOT looking forward to examining our storage situation when we move in.  Most European houses do not have closets, and ours will be no exception.  Our basement is so small, only a gnome can walk upright....well, maybe a 6 year old child.  None of the rooms have closets (not even a coat closet), and I plan on talking my way into the greatest number of CMFO (loaner) furniture from the military we can get....damn the ugly choices.  So, here I am.....wondering how to maximize stuffing the maximum amount of clothes in a minimum amount of space.  How about this?

After reading the article from Woman's Day, I immediately thought of being able to stuff twice as many t-shirts into a drawer....and continuing along that thread....I'm thinking I can do this with shorts, underthings and a few other items?  I believe every person in the family is authorized a wall locker and a dresser from the military, but that's about it other than couches, chairs and tables. 

Other lowcost thoughts:

• Underbed storage containers
• Baskets
• Inexpensive wire hardware store type shelves hidden behind an expandable shower curtain rod and shower curtain
• Pretty thriftshop hatboxes on top of those ugly CFMO wardrobes
• Storage items to be found at the monthly SHAPE fleamarkets, civilian fleamarkets and what I can find at the thrift shop on Chievres Air Base.
• Buy items on sale at IKEA and then sell them again when we leave.
• Tell my husband that we can get lowcost antiques (which is true) and find some items with hidden storage space that we can take back to the US.

Any other ideas?

Cut Your Cleaning Time In Half...More than Half

Have you ever gone in a store with tons of knick knacks or jewelry or little display items and wondered why it wasn't dusty in there? I know there are plenty of dusty stores...but some aren't and why is that?

It's because of the featherdusters. When I used to vacuum, I would take each of my knick knacks off the shelf or table or whatever surface, vacuum the item and then vacuum the surface and move on to the next piece or area. It's no wonder that it took me about three hours to vacuum my house. There had to be another way.

That's when I met my Swedish friend. She used to clean her house...it was bigger than ours...in half the time it took me to clean mine. Granted, she didn't have a lot of knick knacks....but, she did have a lot of surfaces! So what was I doing wrong? What was she doing that I wasn't doing?

It's because of the featherdusters. After the third time she told me this, I decided to get one...now, not just any one will do. It has to be a rather expensive, or what I deemed to be expensive when it comes to cleaning supplies...duster out of ostrich feathers. Something about the static electricity and holding power or something.

And one day, she showed me how to use it...in all of two minutes. Start at the top of the room and work your way around in concentric circles. Yes, there really are cobwebs in the corners of your rooms...you just didn't see them. As you get halfway around a room, lightly tap the edge of the duster handle on the edge of your shoe...down low, almost at floor level. The concept being...the dust will fall down to the carpet. After you dust that room, it gets vacuumed.

I take it one step further...which does take a little longer, but I don't care cause I like to see the dust fly...I take the fully loaded duster outside..making sure there isn't an open window or door...and beat the handle against the side of the house or my hand...then back inside and repeat. About once a month, I'll take furniture oil and shine up all the wood furniture, but other than that, the house at least looks dust free.

One of these days when we retire somewhere nice...I'm going to talk my husband into spending extra money on a whole house filter...can you imagine how much better the dust situation would be then? What do you do to keep your house dust free?

Clean as You Go

I sometimes dream about a world that is just scrupulously efficient...you know, like George Jetson efficient....especially in the kitchen and the laundry room. I made the mistake of letting my 11 year old fix a meal for us in the kitchen. I still can't figure out how so many utensils and dishes got dirty, nor how every ingredient that was in the pantry and refrigerator is now sitting out on my kitchen counter! Did he never learn the "clean as you go" principle?

If you don't know it, "clean as you go", means that when you are done with an item, you clean it, close it, bag it up, zipper it shut and put it away...simple as that. If you happen to be doing something that requires use of the same size item, you are that far ahead, because you are only getting one dirty and not two.

For example, if you are washing some veggies and then plan to stir-fry them up in a pan, you wash and dry the container you cleaned them in, right after you put the veggies into the hot pan. It then gets put away or ready for the next item you will put in there. Whatever spices, butter or oil you use, you take out what you need, and put the container right back where it belongs. When you put the veggies in the serving dish, you...this is actually an extra step for a "food stuck on" pan...I drop two drops of dish soap and some water in the pan and put it back on the burner...so in effect, I am pre-cleaning the thing. Clean the pan before you sit down to eat, and all you have to do after you eat is put away your eating dishes and you're done.

That's also why I use our dishwasher, last thing at night before we go to bed. I empty the clean dishes in the morning, and as the day goes along, dishes get rinsed and then put in the dishwasher, ready for the next cycle to start once again every evening. This also follows the "clean as you go" principle with no more piled-up dishes in the sink.

You can even do it in the laundry room. When someone takes something off, they put it directly in the laundry room...in either the dark or light hamper. This works great in our new apartment, as everything is on one floor. No need to have multiple hampers where you move clothes TWICE...how crazy and inefficient does that sound? If I could figure out a way to get the clothes from the washer, to the dryer and then back to the closets and drawers, I'd be in some kind of household heaven at that point.

What do you do around the house in regards to "clean as you go"? How do you keep the clutter, piled up dishes, clothes and other things in check?

Denture Tabs are Not Just for Dentures

My grandmom had dentures. I still remember when I was a child, watching the fizzing tablets in the glass. I guess they did a good job. She used the things for years. Did you ever see a product and wonder what else you could use it for? I know I typically don't. It took a friend to show me the finer points of denture tabs and what they could do to help me in my cleaning routine.

• Drop them in your toilet bowl. Not to get gross, but the tabs attack the surface of the bowl just like grandmom's dentures. I like to leave it in for a few hour, and I'm always amazed at what a good job it does. Swish around a brush a few times, and you're done.

• Clean the gunk out of your flowervase. I like fresh flowers. I don't love them because of what happens to them (and the container) as they die. It's depressing for me to watch them die like that! And I always leave them in there a bit longer, when all that crap starts to collect around the ring. That's okay. Just get that water out, put in some fresh water and drop in a tablet. Let it sit a few hours and the ring and yucky stuff will be gone with just rinsing it out.

• Get tea and coffee stains out of cups and mugs. Every once in awhile I drink some tea that leaves some awful stains in there. Let a tab sit in a cup of water, and you'll see the stains lift away.

• Clean out your coffee machine or teapot of mineral deposits. Let the stuff sit overnight in warm water, and your stuff looks almost new.

Do you know of any other uses for denture tabs? Do you have any other household items that you use for other than the intended use?

No More Dirty or Burnt Up Grills

Spring is synonymous with barbecuing. I envy people who can barbecue just about any cut of meat. My repertoire is limited to burgers and ribs...I haven't learned yet to do anything else, but something that all of us grillers have to deal with is cleaning the grill. Who likes to do that? Yes, I know, you keep the flame going and burn the stuff off, but eventually, you're going to have a grease and gunk build-up that you need to get rid of. Tell that to my husband who actually MELTED DOWN our grill, thinking he could just turn off the flame, close the hood and "let it burn itself out" while he and his buddies jack-jawed about their latest military exploits...well, while they were otherwise distracted, the grill burned itself out alright, after melting down most of the grill and the knobs. God must've been watching over us that day by not allowing the propane tank to explode and do some serious damage to the house, not to mention us! But, I digress...here's the easiest way to clean your grill.

• Remove grate and put it in a large heavy-duty plastic bag. Spray it down with oven cleaner. Close bag with twist tie and let it sit overnight.
  

• Put on rubber gloves, open bag, remove grate, rub down grate, and hose it down.

• The next time you use your grill, spray it with oil before turning on the heating element or heating coals.

• Get rid of burnt up charcoal ashes by dumping BBQ over a spread-out newspaper. Roll up paper and throw away. Make sure coals are burned out or you'll start a fire.

• If you've got a propane grill, be sure to empty the grease catcher every so often.

• Keep a cover on your grill to keep out dirt and pollen and to keep it looking new as long as you can.

What do you do to keep your grill clean?

Clean Your Bathroom in Under 5 Minutes

Cleaning your bathroom does not have to be a real chore. The key here is maintenance and frequency with an overhaul every now and then. There are some things you can easily do, to limit your time in the bathroom for other than the necessary human tasks we all must do as contributing members of society. Here goes...


Each bathroom needs its own set of cleaning supplies that you don't have to cart around the house. I like to keep my supplies organized in one of those trays with a handle. Here's what you will need:

• Lysol-like wet wipes
• Papertowels
• Alka-Seltzer tablets
• Toilet brush (get a cheap one and not in an enclosed stand unless you want to farm bacteria)
• a used toothbrush
• Windex or other glass cleaner
• Lysol disinfectant spray
• Toilet bowl cleaner
  

Do these tasks once a week

• Put an Alka-Seltzer in the toilet and let it fizz
• Spray Lysol disinfectant on doorknobs, faucet handles, toilet handles and lightswitch
  
• With Wet Wipe #1, wipe rim of tub and base of toilet
• With Wet Wipe #2, wipe toilet seat, underneath seat, behind seat and where drips tend to run down toilet (those darn boys can't aim straight)
• Wash your hands
  
• With Wet Wipe #3, wipe around sink, faucet and inside your sink; use that used toothbrush to brush around faucet if dirt has collected there, then rinse and wipe dry with papertowel and glass cleaner
  
• Clean mirror, faucets and fixtures with glass cleaner and papertowel
• With Wet Wipe #4, wipe down the bathtub and shower; if you run out of liquid, just make it a little wet; I like to rinse with a pitcher of water (if you don't have a handheld showerhead)
• Use the toilet brush and wipe around inside the toilet bowl and don't forget under the rim. If you must, you can pour in some toilet bowl cleaner to help you along
  
• With Wet Wipe #5, clean floor, working your way towards the door, wiping everything into a pile if you have hair and debris on the floor (if you have a large floor, use something like a Swifter with a wet cleaning pad)
• You're done

Well, okay, that sounds simple enough...but what about my shower scum and bathtub ring you say! You're going to laugh, but we do the next few steps EVERY TIME we use the bath or shower. Our shower and bathtub have absolutely NO RING and NO SCUM because we take these few extra steps.

• Use shower gel instead of bar soap...it's as simple as that. No soap, no soap scum.
  

• After EVERY shower, use a squeegee to get excess water off the walls. You'd be amazed at how clean your shower will be! This is totally worth the few extra seconds and if you do it often enough, it will become habit, and you won't even think about it. I even have my kids and husband trained to do this! About once a month, I can take plain Windex and a papertowel to shine it up some more without any scrubbing!

• We keep a washcloth drying out over the rim of the bathtub. We use this special washcloth to wipe the inside of the tub, while still sitting in there, to tackle the ring. As the water is draining, all you have to do is keep the water moving, splash it up a bit on the sides...no more ring!

What do you do to keep your bathroom orderly? Oh, and BTW, my eight year old and ten year old, as well as our exchange student have been trained to clean their own bathroom. I've noticed they tend to keep it more orderly, knowing they have a hand in cleaning it. Do your kids clean their own bathroom?

What Do You Keep in Your Car?

It was a bit chilly this morning...enough to freeze my windshield in Central Florida. I came across a stranded motorist this morning, a young lady with a little toddler in the car. It wasn't a flat tire or something obvious, but she had called her husband to come get her. Here she was in her pajamas and a toddler in the car with no socks and nothing warm to wear for either of them. I immediately grabbed my wool blanket from the car. You see, many years ago actually, I was stranded on the road...and I never forgot it either. Before you happily get in your car tomorrow morning, keep these things in mind.

• Wear clean underwear. You know what I mean. You never know what can happen, so if you don't mind trudging down the road in your bathrobe and slippers, then by all means, wear what you want. But I at least try to look human and somewhat presentable when I go out...even if it is just up to the school, less than a mile away.

• Always take your cell phone. That way you can immediately call your husband or friend for help if you run into any kind of situation. I also have our non-emergency sheriff's number on speed dial. Sometimes you may see something and want to alert the sheriff but it may not be an emergency...yet. I don't want to clog up the 911 lines.

• Proof of insurance. Have it even if your state doesn't require it. You want to be able to trade this stuff should you get into a fender bender, and I know most police people will ask for it along with your car registration papers.

• An accident report form. USAA and AAA send these out to their drivers. Or use this one. I keep one in the glovebox. You can sometimes get disoriented or just flustered after even the most minor accident. This form will help you get the info you need from the other driver and tells you what else you should be doing at the scene. I used to carry a disposable camera. Now I use my camera phone instead.

• Warning devices and kit. I think they do sell these these in the States. I know in Germany, it is mandatory to have a warning triangle, flares, basic first aid kit and that kind of thing. You never know when you may need this stuff. It may keep you from getting rear ended too.

• Jumper cables. I have actually used these more helping other people than helping myself, but you just never know. Make sure you do know how to use them. I've even seen some you can plug into your cigarette lighter. I'm not sure how effective those are though.
  

• First aid kit. Along with the normal stuff that goes in there, I like to add motion sickness tablets, extra band-aids and kids' pain reliever. Also have something for sore tummies and throats...even a thermometer would be good to have.

• Flashlight and extra batteries. Even a little device can cast a big enough light to get whatever job done...should you need it.

• Water. I like to keep a bottle per person in the car. Have you heard of those motorists getting stranded? I've even been stuck in a traffic jam, where I longed for any kind of water...even if it was hot, and been able to crawl into the back seat to get some refreshments. Also have some energy or power bars. These things last for decades! I sometimes get hungry just running errands and these things do the trick to tide you over. I actually carry a few in my purse instead of my car.

• A roll of papertowels and a small bottle of window cleaning fluid. I can't tell you the number of times I've driven at night and realized then and only then, hey, the inside of my windows are so dirty...I can't see! By the time you get home and into the next day, you've already forgotten. If you have this stuff with you, you can get it done right there.

• Inflated spare tire. When was the last time you looked at the thing? Just check it out every few months...make sure it is still there and in working order. Also have a tire gauge and that Fix-a-Flat stuff you can inflate a tire with.
  

• Empty gas can. Just a little one...just in case. Never run into this problem by keeping your gas tank always half full.

• Small toolkit with screwdrivers, wrench, small hammer and pliers. I've used mine for more reasons than I count...it's that useful.

• A blanket. I have a thick wool blanket. I just don't use it for people, I cover my frozen groceries with it too.

• Container of wetwipes. Not only are these great for sticky fingers and the like, I use mine for cleaning the dashboard at a long stoplight or traffic jam. They also work great on stains and spills on your carpeting.
  

• Kleenex box. Someone always seems to want to blow their nose in the car. I've also used them as ersatz napkins and to wipe up spills.
  

• Pens and pencils and a notepad. You can never have enough things to write with. You also get some great ideas while driving or maybe something you need to get done. If there's a paperpad there, you don't have to hunt for paper.
  

• A stash of plastic grocery bags. I use these for trash bags, doggy doo bags, kid puke bags...you name it...you can always find a use for one of these!

• Basic map of the area. What if your NAV system goes down? What if you do get lost and you didn't have a NAV system to begin with?

• A small Yellow Pages. Our local phone company sends out this cute little book. It fits under the seat out of sight. It's great to be able to look things up while you are out and about.

• List of cards in your wallet. I keep a little card in my glovebox with a list of my credit cards and other things in my wallet. I don't list the account numbers, just the phone numbers I can contact should my wallet get lost. There are other ways for the credit card companies and banks to be able to identify you should you need to talk to them.

• Cell phone charger. Peace of mind in case you run out of juice.

• Compact umbrella. I put it in a compartment or under one of the seats. If you prepare for rain, it usually won't happen I've noticed.

• A list of emergency numbers to call. Have this in your glovebox in case you leave without your purse or even cell phone.

• Spare change, especially if you live in an area with tolls.

• Coupons. I keep my coupon organizer in my car and just take out what I need when I go in the store. I also keep my 10 and 20% off store coupons in there...you know, the ones you get for Bed, Bath & Beyond and stores like that.

• A small roll of duct tape. If something wants to fall off your car, duct tape it back on. That is just one of the many uses. The last time we camped, I think we used almost half a roll for one thing or another.

Since I'm down in Florida, I don't really think about all that cold weather stuff. Here are some things you should think about having in your vehicle if you tend to get less than perfect weather.

Store Things Together that Work Together

Sounds simple doesn't it? Then why do you walk the length of your kitchen, more than once, when you make your coffee in the morning? Do you go get your filter, then get the water, then back again and oops..where's the coffee. What if you could do all this standing in one spot?

I think you've already gotten my drift. Let's use coffee making as an example since I already mentioned it. How about putting the coffee maker near the sink, so you can get your water quickly. Store your filters, coffee and mugs in the cabinet above? Hogwash you say or perhaps no big deal? Okay, so you save only one minute a day doing this which translates into, let's see... six hours a year! Hmmm...it IS a big deal.

Along those lines, you can do this with any activity in your house. Put all your baking stuff together. Keep your bowls, whisks, rolling pins and measuring cups in one area. What about keeping pots and pans near the stove? If I had a higher end kitchen, I would surely put one of those faucets over my stove. Have you see those things? Anyway, I'm digressing again.

Go right now...or when you get a chance...stand in each room in your house, and think of the things you do in that room. Or sit down and think about what you do on a daily basis. Write it down. If you are walking all over a room or God fobid, the entire house...then you need to rethink how you do your thing! Take the time to streamline your life, and you'll thank yourself for it.

I think you've gotten the idea, and we can move on. What do you do to streamline your efforts at home? Be sure to read Streamline your Kitchen if you haven't already.

What do you do to streamline your daily life?

Messy, Messy Kids' Rooms

What is wrong with this picture? Other than the young man playing with his action figures. A lot apparently, if he were to leave it that way. Does it remind you of your room when you were younger? Remember your mom shouting for you to clean up your room? Is this now your son's or daughter's room? There is a way to break the cycle.

Follow these steps below:

• You and your child must declutter the room before any more "clean your room" episodes, There is a right way to do this. Check How to Declutter a Room.
  

• You must have ample storage space for all their stuff. Storage cubbies and bins work best. Toyboxes...not so good. Everything gets too junked up in there.
  

• Straightening up must be part of a nightly ritual. I do mine throughout the house before I go to bed. It only takes 15 minutes. The kids can take 5 minutes to put away the things in their room too.
  

• If there are items still strewn about tomorrow morning, they magically disappear. When the kids wake up in the morning with key toys, Gameboys, favorite pairs of pants or shirt…missing. Well, let's say it'll leave an impression on them. Yes, I have actually taken things to Goodwill. It only takes one or two times to let your kids know you are serious and that if things aren’t put away. they will be donated to a child who does care. If you are not that militant...hide the garbage bag full of their stuff, and get it out at a much later date.
  

• Having too many things laying around is a sign YOUR CHILD HAS TOO MUCH STUFF. Get away from the consumerism…buy less, or if you’ve already bought, rotate the stuff or donate the excess. As long as you have ample storage space for your child, there is no excuse for a mess.
  

• For younger ones, don’t say “clean up your room”…break it up into sections and have them clean each subsequent area..it’s easier on the mind and psyche!

• Remind yourself, by having an orderly room, you will be setting your youngster up for success. Let's face it, messy adults are looked down upon as disorderly, dirty and not smart. That is obviously not so in many cases, but why set your child up with the chips stacked against him? Do the right thing as a parent and show the kiddos NOW, while it's still easy, how to keep their stuff organized. If we were to actually add up the minutes we look for things on a daily basis, it would amount to something like 10 years of our life or something to that effect!
  
  What do you do to teach your kids organization and responsibility?
  
  

A Better Way to Sort Laundry

I absolutely HATE doing laundry. It's like every day is "Ground Hog" Day. You do a load of laundry, and I'll be darned if I don't look in the laundry hamper the next day, and there is more stuff in there. Then you have to do it all over again. It's never ending, isn't it? There IS a way to get a handle on it, to where it doesn't halfway ruin your life...or your peace of mind.

Wouldn't it be great if all houses had laundry rooms right next to where you take your clothes off? This is most times in your bathroom or bedroom, right? I never understood, why we, in a two story house, have to carry dirty clothes downstairs (sometimes even down two stories to the basement) and then have to carry them back up again, clean. What bozo came up with the location of the laundry room in most houses? Well, I have been pleased with a few of the new houses around here when I went on a local Parade of Homes. Some DO have laundry rooms upstairs. Now, I just hope they are soundproofed. A washing machine banging against your bedroom wall as you are trying to sleep is not my idea of a peaceful night's rest.

Anyway, so that is something you can't really change about your current situation. So, let's focus on the things you CAN change. If you take your clothes off in the bedroom, the laundry hamper needs to be in there. Do your thing in the bathroom? Then put it in there. I actually go one step further and have two laundry bins, one right next to the other. One is for lights and the other is for darks. My kids have their two hampers in their bathroom, and my husband and I have ours in our walk-in closet...which just happens to be in the master bathroom. I know, that's strange, but it really works well. Don't tell me that laundry hampers are too ugly to put anywhere either. I've seen some nice ones at some of the specialty stores, such as Bed, Bath & Beyond...no need to use those ugly plastic things!

I do laundry every few days. I'd rather do a few loads here and there, than wait til the weekend, to see an overflowing heap of dirty clothing that has already overflowed the hamper. Try it...you'll like it. I typically, take a large armful (or take out the bag inside the hamper) and take it to the laundry room. You really don't need a laundry basket, although I sometimes use mine to fill with sheets and in the evenings, when I go through my 15 minute pass thru of the house.

Now comes the interesting part. Again, here's another opportunity to teach your kids responsibility. Have a dishpan in the laundry room for each child. Fold up their clothes and put the neat stack in there. When they come home from school, they are to check if their bin has clothes in it,and if so, they take it upstairs and put the things away. When they're done, the bin gets brought back to the laundry room for the next time. It's that simple.

I go ahead and take care of mine and my husband's stuff. It's the least I can do to help him out, right? He works hard everyday. I also don't iron, BTW. I feel lucky that the new Army uniforms don't have to be ironed. They come out of the dryer looking nice and smooth. And that's the key...as soon as your dryer buzzes, take that stuff out of there! The "sitting in there" is what causes the wrinkles, not the washing! Now, I must admit, if there is a dress blouse or a dress with material that wrinkles easily, I do go ahead and iron...but I like to stockpile a few articles of clothing behind the laundry room door on hangers, before I get to that point. In our house, there is no place to conveniently put an ironing board, so inevitably, it's a huge hassle to get the thing out. Don't pull it out for just one item.

What do you do in your household to make the laundry sorting easier?

Get Your Holiday Assortment in Order

It's about that time again. Or have you already gotten out your Halloween stash and are already thinking about the next thing? Are you one of the ones still looking where you stashed your holiday assortment? Did you have a hard time getting all your Halloween things together this year? Is that scarecrow pumpkin thingy missing in action this year? There is an easier way to keep track of your holiday decorations, to include your kid's artwork and store bought items.

You know...I love bins, so here goes...

• Purchase 2-5 heavy duty Rubbermaid-type bins (check for sales, as these things frequently go on sale; I've also found good deals at Big Lots on these)

• Purchase a roll of bubble wrap (I've seen the best prices locally at Sam's Club; I've also bought them on eBay at rock bottom prices...it's always good to have a roll if you do a lot of shipping anyway)
  

• As you get out your holiday assortment from the various hiding places throughout your house, sort the items by holiday, such as Christmas, Halloween, Patriotic (4th of July), Easter, etc

• Keep the breakable items together in each holiday assortment

• Now that everything is sorted in neat piles on your floor, it's time to start packing it in

• Try to keep like items and breakable items together; use plenty of bubble wrap for the breakable items; I also try to keep the original boxes for these breakable items

• I try to keep all wall hangings in one box, books in another (for children's Christmas books, I keep them all in a colorful holiday rectangular basket that goes all in one swoop, into the bin); put the holiday pillows in with the breakables; all the foliage and faux plants together; keep all the Christmas tree ornaments in one bin (this has the added benefit in our mobile life, if we ever don't have the time or the effort in us to decorate our home, we can just get out the tree decorating bin and still have a nice Christmas)

• The kids' artwork can be put in the appropriate bin too; at holiday time, I take out the artwork, put double sided tape on the back of each piece and make a collage of the artwork over the top of a window or around a doorway
  

• I label the outside of the bin, on both short sides and on top, with the holiday; instead of 4th of July, use "Patriotic" as there may be more than one holiday that uses such items

• Since I don't have a lot of Halloween items, I just have a bin labeled "Fall" and this takes care of all my faux Fall foliage too; same goes for "Easter" and "Spring" depending on how many items you have

• I also take a strip of masking tape, put it on the short side of each bin; label with some key items; this way, you know what's in each bin at a glance plus it makes repacking so much easier
  

• Now you are going to set aside a place in the garage, basement or closet (or closets) to stack these items; mine are stacked three high and everything looks "dress right dress" and in order

• To keep from getting all the bins out, I stack the next holidays coming up on top; that way you can just rotate the items; when a holiday is just completed, that bin goes on the bottom

• I pack these items so well every year, when we move, the movers just wrap the outside of the bin with wrap, and the packing is already done
  

What do you do to keep your holiday stuff in order?

How to Declutter and Clean a Room the Right Way

Have you ever walked in a room that looked like a windstorm blew through there overnight? I actually had a friend, who didn't even realize she was robbed...for almost a week...because this particular room was so messy! Isn't it disheartening to walk into that room...look around...realize the clean-up would be too overwhelming...and then walk right back out of there. As with anything else, you know I'm going to have an easy to follow system that will make the task less daunting and find you patting yourself on the back in quick order. Here's how.

Step #1: Get two boxes (or laundry baskets) and one LARGE trashbag.

Step #2: Label one box as "Items out of Place" and the next box as "Donations".

Step #3: Start on the floor and then work clock-wise; pick up each item and put it in the appropriate box or bag.

Step #4: Do not stop to admire, read or reminisce...there will be time for that at a later date.

Step #5: If you have many small and loose items, whip out a piece of paper and write down how many storage containers or plastic bins of various sizes you need. For the time being, store those items in grocery bags, and stack them in the corner. Be sure to come back the next day, with the storage containers and put that stuff away!

Step#6: For items you want to keep in this particular room, go ahead and place them where you want them.

Step #7: If your "Items out of Place" box gets to overflowing, it is time to take a break and grab a soda, cup of tea and snack. When you start back up, you are going to put those out of place items where they belong, throughout the house.

Step #8: Now go back to the room. Haul your trashbag (or bags) and "Donate" box into the garage or somewhere near the front door...temporarily. You are going to leave the trashbag there overnight. If you break into cold sweats at the thought of something you put in the trash, go take it out, and put it in the "Donate" box.

Step #9: Two days later (or on the next trashday), throw out the trashbag or bags.

Step #10: Get a big black marker and put the date on the "Donate" box. Get it out of the way somewhere, and let it sit for at least a week. If you are really unsure of yourself, then keep it for 6 months. If you haven't used anything in that box, donate it and get rid of it. Read A One for One Closet Exchange . If you have no problem getting rid of things, just carry the box to your car and drop it off at Goodwill or any other donation place the next time you are out. If you itemize your taxes, be sure to get a receipt for your goods.

Step #11: If you still have time, go ahead and dust and then vacuum. If not, do this the first thing the next day.

That's it...you're done...and it didn't even take as long as you thought! Even though I do my nightly ritual of Before You Go to Bed Tonight, I still frequently complete this exercise every few months per room. I just pick a room and have at it! Do this on a regular basis, and your home won't become a disaster area.

What tips do you have to keep your house and clutter under control?

Maximize Your Errand Running

I have an aunt who puts an enormous amount of miles on her vehicle by taking multiple trips throughout the day to run her errands...back and forth, back and forth. Not only are you wasting your time if you do this, but you are also throwing away gas money and putting extra wear and tear on your car.

Have a plan and this won't be you. Every evening, sit down and go over your "to do" list for tomorrow and the next few days too while you are sitting there. Use a small day planner that will fit in your purse and check over this week's errands and tasks before you leave the house in the mornings.

I typically have to run errands in three different directions. I try to group all errands in one area together and just drive a loop, or a loop as best I can with the streets that are available! If I don't have to do an errand tomorrow, and it is not in the area I am planning on going that day, I will plan that errand on another day when I am in that area. Plan ahead, and you will never waste time or money again.

How do you keep from wasting your time?

Before You Go to Bed Tonight

Have you ever gone to bed with utter and complete chaos around the house? Sometimes, you just want to close yourself off from the mess and kids fighting and your husband not being home. Well, I think you know as well as I do...the next morning, it looks and feels even worse! Do you know there are some simple steps you can take to take charge of this situation?

A few weeks ago, I found a website by someone who calls herself Flylady. The crux of her mantra, is if you keep your sink shiny and clean, everything else will follow along. She has many followers who she has guided from baby steps to being full fledged superwomen around the house. I felt I already had a handle on things but valued her opinions. I think they are good ones. If you are at a complete standstill, be sure to stop by her website. I didn't want to write about household order without mentioning her.

If you have no need for a major overhaul in the homemaker arena, there is this one small task you can do to keep your life and home in order. I call it the "15 minute pass through". After the kids are in bed and all the lights are down low, I grab the laundry basket and make a pass through the house from room to room. I collect things that are out of place, remnants of trash and straighten up blankets, chairs askew and rugs bunched up. As I go through the room an item belongs in, I just grab it out of the basket and put it away. It's that simple. At this time, I also go over my to do list for tomorrow, as well as my long term to do list. It's pretty amazing how you realize what errands need running and things you have been putting off....all while you are walking around your house.

The first time you do this, if you've never done it before, it is going to take longer than 15 minutes. So don't be disheartened. Give it a chance. There is a certain inner peace the mind thrives on, knowing everything is in its rightful place. I won't go into the mumbo jumbo but suffice it to say you will finally sleep like a baby after doing this.

If you want to get your kids and husband in on it, have them stage their school and work items by the front door. Have their shoes and other items ready to go, including their outfits for tomorrow. Sometimes I even go as far as getting out the cereal bowls and cereal. You have the added benefit of having the morning flow so much easier if you take these additional steps.

What simple things do you do around the house to make your life easier?

Read this article and others on family life at Manicmama!

The Maker of Lists

I feel somehow inadequate if I'm not making a list for some thing some where. I really do. I have lists for every kind of situation a mom and manager of the household needs or even wants. The neat part about making lists, is that it's okay that my brain gets a bit fried as I get older...I can just refer back to the list!

Back in college, I used to make lists on any scrap of paper that was available. You can already see, eventually, you'd have a house full of scraps of paper and not know one list from another. In fact, I do have a few purses from my college days, and do you know, I recently found a 22 year old list!

I quickly graduated to the more organized notebook mode. I have a small notebook and a day planner (also small) with a note section in my purse. I have another notebook by our computer and another by our bed...In bed seems to be where most of us do our thinking when we are not otherwise engaged, don't you think?

Just perusing some of my lists, in my dayplanner, I have lists of:

• Books I want to read/authors I like
• Movies I want to see
• Local attractions we still want to try to visit before we leave (with directions/address & sometimes phone number)
• Cleaning schedule
• Favorite recipes with ingredients listed (so go ahead and shop last minute if you have to)
  
• Project list for around the house
• Every measurement for every filter, thing or clothing involving my family or our house
  
• Grocery shopping list (I do have a paper pad on the side of the refrigerator and as we run out of stuff, it gets put there and later in my planner)
  
• "Other stuff" shopping list

In the notebook next to our computer, I have:

• Homes recently sold in our neighborhood (with price, sq footage, sold date and address)
• Websites to check out
• Internet comparison shopping (whenever I want to make a major purchase)
• Investments I want to compare
• Longterm planning list (what events are coming up with date noted and other ideas)
• And a variety of chicken scratch where I go off on some tangent
  

Of course, the true brainstorming happens late at night, so of course, have to make sure I have a notebook by our bed. Sometimes, more often than not, I can't understand what I wrote the next day but somehow, it does make me feel more productive. Even if I occasionally get something useful out of the exercise, that's good enough for me. I catalogue:

• Blog ideas (I write these in all the notebooks; I need all the help I can get)
• Unusual dreams (just the main gist of what was going on; I have a friend who interprets dreams and lots of times I do need a good laugh)
• Last minute errand or task for the next day
• The latest dreamed up project for around the house
• Packing list (if I have a trip coming up)
  
• The latest idea in general; I am constantly coming up with inventive ideas, but it's too bad that when I do a patent search, I already find it patented...my latest was the two chambered spray bottle...sigh...already invented
  

What kind of lists do you have? Do you find they help you or do they drive you crazy?

What's In Your Purse?

I was digging in my purse this morning. Honestly, I was looking for a Lego character my son had hidden in there during our weekend shopping forays. Yes, I did have a few crumbs and such...how did they get in there? I honestly do wonder about that sometimes. I decided I might as well clean it out while I was in there...you know, take stock of things...and suddenly I realized my purse is my lifeline when I am out of the house! Keep your purse well stocked, and you'll never be in a clueless or helpless situation ever again.

People do make fun of my purse. It does look like luggage, and to be honest with you, when I go out for a night on the town or someplace "fun", I do pare it down and bring something smaller and more elegant. For the most part though, I do carry my piece of luggage and am always prepared!

I prefer a purse with a few large compartments. It's gotta have a small zippered compartment and another larger zippered compartment too. You don't want a purse with just snaps and folds. This is for security purposes of course. Get one with strong handles and a thick outer shell, again along those lines of needing to be secure.

In one of the outer pockets, you are going to keep your day planner, cause you really do need to keep track of your appointments, "to do" lists and phone book. I'll have to go more in detail at a later date what should be in your planner. Also keep a small spiral notebook. Anytime you need to write something down, write it in here. No scraps of paper and backs of receipts needed!

In your large zippered compartment, you are going to keep your wallet and your checkbook. This is the safest place in your purse. Only take your checkbook along if you are going to use it. In the smaller zippered compartment, you are going to have:

• a small container (get these at a local drugstore) and fill it with pain pills, stomach ache pills even allergy pills...whatever you could be needing. You know yourself best. You can write on the outside what's inside

• I carry another pillbox for my kids, with their medicine separate from mine; I even confess to having a small digital thermometer in there
  

• Benadryl Itch Relief Stick for those nasty stings and bites the kids keep bugging you about
  

• "Tide to Go Stick"; this thing actually works on stains; I saved my husband's designer shirt using this darn stick; it really works

• Extra hairbands for when your hair looks like a bird's nest

• Extra tampons cause if you carry them, you won't desperately need them

• A small container of No Doz and Dramamine (I only carry this when I travel, just in case) cause you're either going to get sick or fall asleep when you don't need to be doing that
  

I also like to carry at least three pens. You know you are either going to lose one or someone is going to ask to borrow one and never return it. I used to carry a calculator until my phone happened to have one. It's nice also to have a purse with an exterior compartment for your cell phone, or get a cell phone clip and clip your phone to the top edge of your purse. I used to wonder why no one called me until I realized my cell phone was always buried in the deepest depths of my purse. I never heard the thing ringing!

What else do I carry in my purse? Well, you gotta have a small pack of Kleenex. I can't tell you the number of times one of little ones presented me with a package from their nose as we were shopping and running around. This is another reason to keep a tissue box in your car. Of course keep a travel size bottle of lotion and another of hand sanitizer in your purse. You're gonna need both of those, especially if you are running around with little kids.

What's the most unusual thing I carry in there? I would have to say it's my small tape measure. I can't tell you the countless times I have had to measure something at the store! I remember laying out a carpet on one trip to see if it would fit in my foyer. Well, it wasn't marked, so I had to do it, right? The salesman was about to have a fit! He thought I was setting up shop or something.

So, that's what I have in mine. What do you have in yours?

Backward Planning is not just for Military People

For those of us whose spouses are in the military, have you ever heard your hubby say he had to backwards plan something? Did you know what that meant when he said it? Some of us already do this to an extent, but let me tell you exactly what it is and how it can make your life so much more efficient and stress free!

As you have probably already guessed, a military operation has to be planned out and then synchronized. You can't go to war if Beetle Bailey didn't arrive with the truckload of bullets and actually arrived before the war started. Along those same lines, you would not leave the house without the diapers for the baby and a plan to get you where you are going on time and with your sanity intact.

Let's say that "hit time" for you is tomorrow morning. You are going to take your whole brood on a trip to the National Park nearby. You are going to now backwards plan the trip:

• What time does the park open or what time do you want to be there? You say 9 am.
  

• You know it takes you two hours to drive there, that means you should leave the house at 7 am

• You don't go anywhere without your hair done and the kids fed and dressed. Since that takes you an hour, you set wake-up time at 5 am (ouch)

• Since the kids need 9 hours of sleep, you realize you must put them to bed at 8 pm

• That means the bedtime routine of bath and stories must begin at 7 pm

I think you get the idea! If you have to be somewhere at a certain time, backwards plan from the time you have to be there to figure out how long you need from start to finish. Make your little checklist as you plan and briefly look over it before you actually head out the door. It's amazing how you can forget a package of babywipes and still have everything else with you...you REALLY need those babywipes....

Follow these steps and you'll never rush or forget something again!.

Do I get rid of it?

There really is a simple, no stress way to find out if you need it or not...this goes for clothes, gadgets, tools....basically anything you have laying around your house...or garage...or even yard. We're not talking about absolute trash. That's for another article. We are talking about items that have some kind of redeeming quality (or at least you think they do)...everything from the stuff you buy to things that may have been handed down to you or given to you as a gift. Here's how you can determine it's purpose in your life.

Let me suggest starting in one room, and then when you are done with this room, move to another one.

• Get a large size box or storage bin. Start putting items you don't need (or think you don't need) or want into this box
  

• To help yourself figure this out, ask yourself..."self, when was the last time I used this? Do I have an emotional attachment to this? What will happen if I get rid of this?"

• Once the box is full, you will label it, "junk" with today's date

• You will store this box in an out of the way place in your basement, garage or wherever it is out of sight

• It is okay to retrieve items from the box, IF you should need that item; this gets the item a temporary reprieve until the next time you de-clutter a room
  
• Depending on your personality, at the 6 month or year mark, whatever is left in that box gets taken to Goodwill or some other organization that recycles

Look, you didn't miss it in those 6 months, so you won't miss it afterwards either. If you are having trouble getting rid of gifts or items passed down from relatives, feel better about it, by finding out if perhaps another relative would like to have it. If it's something valuable and unique, think of donating it to a museum or other organization that would appreciate it. I am sure grandmom does not expect you to keep everything that she has ever owned. Pick out one or two pieces, and try to keep those in the family.

I had to clean out a whole house of my grandparents' things after they passed on, and after the initial panic wore off, I realized I could not and should not keep everything! I picked out a few pieces for myself to keep. I let relatives pick out what they wanted after that. A few items were sold to collectors who I knew would cherish those items and the rest was sold at auction. There were a few items I really loved, such as the 500 lb porcelain fireplace, but realistically, I knew I could not keep it, so I made sure to take plenty of photos of it, along with other things that were deemed valuable to me. I never regretted those decisions and allow myself to look at the photos to be reminded of my grandparents. It always does the trick!

So, follow these steps, and you'll never sit there and wonder what you are going to do with that thing. It's actually a freeing experience! Try it and let me know how it goes!

Handle Your Mail Only Once

Are you one of those people who leaves a stack of mail on your dining room table until it falls over and gets dumped? Or do you automatically throw it all in the trash without even looking at it? I've got a good "in between" solution that follows the mantra "handle your mail only once".

I remember having a college roommate, who would pick up her mail, come in the dorm room, sit on her bed, and sort through her stack of mail. She would repeat that exercise every few hours, the next day and even later in the week...maybe open one or two here and there...you get the picture...not a very efficient way of dealing with your mail!

Follow these steps, and you'll never waste your time again. The first thing you are going to do is follow the instructions in my Opt Out article.

Then:

• Pick a comfortable chair, preferably with a trashcan and shredder nearby.

• Go get your mail

• Sit down in your chair and automatically sort out all the junkmail paper flyers and throw those in the trash (or put them in a recycle bin; you can have a small one in the house next to the paper trashcan). Let's say there is a sale flyer you want to refer back to. Fold it up and put it in your little notebook that lives in your purse.
  

• Look at each envelope...you know, the ones with the windows. If it is a bill, take out the actual bill, and throw away or recycle all the inserts and envelope (only throw the envelope out if you plan not to use it, like with online billpay). You are going to neatly stack these bills in a pile. If it is a statement or other important document, stack those also in your bill pile.
  

• Take all the unsolicited envelopes, and take out all the paper that mentions your name and address or any other identifying information. These will get shredded. You'd be amazed what thieves can do with this paperwork. Recycle or throw away those envelopes.

• You should be left with magazines and possibly a catalog or two. I like to leave magazines on our coffee table, where they will live for up to one month and then get recycled at our local library. I try to limit our household magazine subscriptions to only two (and they were free to begin with). If I want to really read a magazine, I'll just stop by the library. I keep a stack of catalogs in my night table drawer. I pull out pages of decorating ideas and also bookmark gift ideas for future reference. Darn it, I just like to look at catalogs. I make sure I toss out the old issues while I'm in there. If it is a catalog I no longer want, I call the # on the catalog right then and there. They are typically very good about complying.
  

• Take your stack of bills and paperwork and put them in your inbox or post them on your bulletin board. I like to file the "no action needed" paperwork right away, just to get it out of sight. For the bills, I sit down that day (when I'm on the computer anyway) and schedule them through online billpay, to pay a week before they are due. Be sure to write the date to be paid, how you paid and also the confirmation # from your online account onto the statement. Be sure to post that it was paid on your billpaying checklist and file the bill in your filing cabinet following this method.
  

• Don't forget the bank statements you are going to have to reconcile. You'd be surprised how banks can make mistakes! I keep mine in a neat stack next to the computer and every week or so, I will log onto Microsoft Money and reconcile them...then file them away.

Follow these steps...and you'll never waste another minute with your mail! What do you do to reduce your mail and time spent going through it?

Photo from grsites.com