Everyday CleaningWhile some of us are getting the urge to dive in to the spring cleaning mode and make room for warmer weather and a new wardrobe, some are still in the routine of mop in hand come every Saturday morning. Well you don’t have to sacrifice your weekends to have a happy and healthy home. Below is some great advice that I came across on the Home & Garden section of iVillage.com. These are four great tips that will help to “Cut the Fat Out of Your Cleaning.” 1. Pare Down: the less you own, the less you have to clean. 2. Gear Up: Put cleaning supplies where they’re needed and within easy reach. Try to keep a cleaning caddy or over the cabinet basket in the kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, etc. That way when a quick clean is needed, all your supplies will be readily available. 3. Think Small: Deal with little jobs before they turn into big ones, divide big jobs into manageable tasks, and do as little as possible whenever possible. 4. Focus Elsewhere: Grab your iPod or cell phone with wireless headset and chat it up with a friend. With your attention focused elsewhere, it will make the process go a lot faster. And for all those who have a passion for organization and love to soak it up every chance they get, check out The O Myth tomorrow at 10am PST. Hosted by Krista Colvin and Brandie Kajino, The O Myth is a weekly podcast where you can debate and defunk life’s organizing myths and tackle that pesky perfection misconception. I will be the special guest on tomorrow’s show and we will be discussing how to organize your spouse and maybe even save a few from filing divorce papers Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
The Urge to PurgeSpring Cleaning is in the air and I am ready for some sunshine and color! As we start the spring cleaning process, we tend to take on the “out with old, and in with the new” attitude. Being organized is one of the most important, if not the most important, elements when cleaning out the clutter. The urge to purge is a common feeling while doing your spring cleaning, but don’t lose focus. Stay centered on the task at hand so you can keep a clear mind when deciding what to keep and what to let go. You don’t want to start multiple cleaning projects only to leave them unfinished. With that said, I’d like to take a minute to introduce Claire Kurtz. She is the latest addition to “My Favorite Organizers” and has a lot of insight and experience to share when it comes to the organizing process. Read below to meet Claire and how she can help you have an efficient, organized and calm lifestyle. Introduction I am so happy to be a guest of Mrs. Organized! My name is Claire Kurtz and I am The Well-Organized Woman. I offer professional organizing as well as personal assistant services to clients in need of calm environments and streamlined schedules. A former Organize.com employee, Matt Henderson, recently found out about my company when he began working at The Starkey Institute. Matt let Mrs. O know about WOW and she so kindly contacted me about contributing guest columns for her blog! After checking out Organize.com and loving everything about the website’s thousands of fun organizing products and tools, the answer was a resounding ‘yes!’ I am continually amazed that we can make connections through our network of contacts in ways we may never have imagined! When I assist a client, it is very important to me to work with her to find out how she uses her space and her belongings and use that knowledge to craft the most efficient and calming space possible. I want my finished product to flow and work optimally for each person. I want my advice and information here to do the same for you! My goal will be to keep each guest blog interesting and fresh with great information that you can apply immediately in your own life. Here is a quick tip that you can use today to bring a little organization to your life. Take it with you! Stay tuned for more great ideas and advice from Claire in the weeks to come! Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
Cupid Is On His WayAnd that means chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate. My friends at FoodStorageMadeEasy.net has come up with some clever ideas on how to preserve those delectable delights. Their concept of food storage tends to focus on emergency preparedness, but today it’s all about our favorite sin…chocolate. Chocolate – The Ultimate Comfort Food By Jodi & Julie from FoodStorageMadeEasy.net Chocolate is definitely the ultimate Comfort Food. In times of love and romance such as Valentine’s Day, or in times of distress (whether it be economic trouble or natural disasters) it is VERY comforting to have treats and other normal foods on hand. This is especially true if you have little children who can’t understand what is going on. So you always want to make sure to keep things in your pantry to be able to make something yummy! Chocolate always goes on sale before and after Valentine’s Day and people also tend to receive a LOT of it as gifts in one form or another. So now is the perfect time to take advantage of the holiday and STOCK UP! How can you stock up on items like chocolate, cookies, chocolate chips, baking chocolate, etc. to add to your food storage? You need the right tools to do it! Get a set of airtight storage containers in a variety of sizes. This 4.5 Quart Click Clack Container would be great to dump several bags of chocolate chips in. Then you’d never need to worry about not having any chocolate chips on hand when you get that midnight craving for cookies! The smaller sizes in this great Click Clack Set of 3 can be used to store the candy/chocolates that come in cardboard boxes. If you know they will be nicely preserved you won’t be as insistent on eating them all the first day Hopefully you can use some of these tips to make better use of your Valentine’s Day gifts as well as bolstering your food storage by stocking up on some great sales once all that chocolate goes on clearance. Good luck and Happy Valentine’s Day!
Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
Printable Valentine’s Day CardsIf your little one is passing out Valentine’s Day cards this year, save a few bucks and some trees by printing these “festively colored” cards from Parents.com. They are quick, easy and adorable. You don’t have to make a trip to the store and you can even print a few extra to give to co-workers or that special someone in your life. Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
Smart Spurges for Valentine’s DayValentine’s Day is less than a week away and while some might be frantically searching for the perfect gift, others are counting the days until they can surprise their sweetie. And some are getting ready to celebrate Singles Awareness Day (as my team of lovely ladies refers to it) with a girls’ night out. But however you plan to spend Cupid’s holiday, don’t get overwhelmed with the sea of chocolate, sweets and calories that entice you to indulge. Here are a few ideas I got from YourTotalHealth.com on how to splurge without the guilty conscience. 1. Swoon your honey with a homemade dinner instead of going out. When you eat at home, you can control the size of the portions and the amount of butter and other condiments that go into making the meal. This will help to save on the calories and the wallet. 2. Don’t eat sweets on an empty stomach. If you can control the craving until after dinner, it will help to keep your chocolate indulgence to a minimum and your portions in check. Opting for dark chocolate can also break the craving to save the bag of Hershey’s kisses hiding in the pantry closet. 3. Keep healthy snacks nearby to avoid going for the cute and friendly conversational candy hearts that threaten the waistline. Having pieces of fruit, nuts, or granola nearby will quench the urge for a sugar fix. 4. An all time Valentine’s favorite is ice-cream. With almost every flavor you can image in existence, and in right in the frozen section of your local grocery store, try to go for the low-fat varieties or single serving versions. And of course, be watchful of the serving size. My Favorite Thing: If you plan to stay in this holiday and go with the homemade dinner, don’t forget dessert. Take into consideration the above tips when getting crafty with the heart-shaped cookies and make sure to try the Slider Cookie Sheet from Kitchen Aid. It gives you the perfect batch. The non-stick coating allows the cookies to slide off easily and the durable carbon steel gives excellent heat distribution for golden results every time. Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
Get A Healthy Heart with Smart Food StorageToday is National Wear Red Day to support the American Heart Association and its campaign to increase awareness about the risk of heart disease for women. Over time our health needs change, but to have a healthy heart it is always necessary to eat right, exercise regularly and have a positive attitude. One way to Go Red For Women and prevent heart disease is to Get Fit in 2009. Having a healthy diet is not just about eating the right food, but also the right amount. And having proper food storage makes this super easy. If you haven’t done so already, you have to check out our Fit N Fresh products. They have all the tools you need to get the right portions for an entire meal, lunch on the go or just a snack. While I’m on the subject of food storage, I would like to take this time to introduce two guest bloggers for Mrs. Organized – Jodi and Julie from FoodStorageMadeEasy.com. They are two young moms that were attempting to get a year’s supply of food storage put together. As they started the process, they realized there was SO much to learn and got overwhelmed and didn’t know where to begin. They decided to start a blog to keep track of their research, break it into BabySteps, and hopefully help others as well. Since they started, their blog now consists of everything food storage, including how to get started, tools and checklists, products and recipes. Stay posted for more info from these two ladies on how to prepare for the unexpected and get food storage under wraps in an economic hard time. Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
More Answers for the Readers…Getting organized is always at the top of everyone’s resolution list, and when you plan to get organized questions will follow. Like “where do I start”, “what tools and materials do I need,” or “what do the experts say?” Many readers have been asking questions such as these and I’m sure there are plenty of others who ponder over the same problems. So I’d like to share some and give my feedback. Question: I am trying to find matching baskets or bins sizes 12″x16″ and 12″x12″. Please help me. Answer: It can be tricky to find matching storage containers, especially in different sizes. Sometimes it is best to just stay simple and stick with traditional plastic or fiberboard boxes and bins. One of my very favorite brands is Cargo® by Resource International. They have almost every size you could need, are very sturdy, eco-friendly and come in a variety of colors. Question: I am searching for a buffet organizer basket (holds plates,napkins, utensils) that I saw at a catered party. Any ideas? Answer: We have just what you are looking for. The Galvanized Table Caddy is equipped to meet all your buffet table needs and is perfect for casual or formal parties. It will hold paper plates, napkins, silverware, condiments and bar tools. The galvanized tin will go with most table settings and if not, spruce it up with some ribbon or accent it with cloth napkins. Question: Help! I need a place for all my necklaces and earrings so I can see what I have. Answer: We have ton of great jewelry organizers that range from small travel cases to full size armoires. Two of my favorite storage solutions for jewelry are the Dual Sided Hanging Jewelry Keeper by Hagerty and the 4 Compartment Jewelry Organizer by Neatnix. The hanging jewelry organizer is in my closet so I can accessorize while I pick my outfits for the week. And the compartment organizer is great for special necklaces and earrings that need a little extra protection. Question: I am looking for a clean way to organize winter gear, like hats, gloves, scarves, etc. Answer: Hanging storage! Hanging shelves and belt organizers work wonders for hats, gloves and scarves. Use the hanging shelves for sweaters and heavier items and the belt organizers will handle gloves, hats, scarves and whatever else is used to stay warm for the winter. And don’t forget the underbed storage for when the weather starts warming up. Soon it will be time to trade in the jackets and hats for tank tops and sunscreen. Make sure you have the necessary boxes, bins and bags to keep the winter wardrobe safe for next year. I hope these tips were helpful and encourage you to keep organization a priority for 2009. Happy Organizing! -Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
National Wear Red Day…Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk!Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women. In support of fellow women, we want to help raise awareness on how we can all help and be healthy ourselves. On Friday, February 6th, it’s National Wear Red Day, reminding women that 1 in 4 women die of heart disease. Talk red by picking up your cell phones, email, text or whatever you do best and tell your best chicas to ask their doctors about blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol. Is everyone that’s important to you in the ‘good zone’? Do something for your own heart this year. Learn more about heart disease and change the way you eat for a healthy lifestyle. My latest fave? Wedge salad topped with thousand island dressing, cover with ‘lines’ of chopped bacon, egg, tomatoes, red onion and crumbled blue cheese. It’s low cal and high on the ‘we love it’ chart. Sweet baked potatoes have replaced regular potatoes or fries at our house. I just learned from this month’s Woman’s Day magazine that ‘it turns out, many healthy foods are red, including apples, tomatoes, beets, red peppers, pomegranates and red wine” (in moderation). You can also “Go Red for Women” when you shop! If you are in the market for anything from re-usable lunch bags to carry totes, you will want to check out our ‘red’ family of products that support the cause. If you are looking to eat better at work by brown bagging it, keep your food fresh with Fit ‘N Fresh or many of our other food storage choices.
Happy Organizing! - Mrs. O Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/mrsorganized
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