How Many Vases Do You Really Need? Well, that depends. I love spring and summer when all the flowers are in bloom. It's a beautiful time of year and a welcome break from winter. While it's nice to display flowers in vases, I really prefer to enjoy them outside. (And so do my allergies!) During the winter I find myself drawn to candles for a hygge feel. Set a Boundary for Your Collection Over the years, I've worked in many garages, basements, and kitchens and routinely find enough extra vases to supply a large wedding reception. Vases are an item that people accumulate without much thought. Flowers arrive. Flowers die. Vases are washed and put in a cabinet. It doesn't seem to matter if its a vase you like or have room to store. The default response is to keep all the vases we've ever received and find space to store them throughout the house. And this is why I suggest setting a boundary for every category throughout your home, like dishes, books, and vases. When it came time to …
Organizing and Decluttering
5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Books and Read More
Over the years, getting rid of books generates the most passionate discussions. I wonder if people fear they might lose the knowledge gained from a book if they give it away? There is a strong sentimental attachment to books, especially the ones we get lost in. I have no idea what happened during the days I read Water for Elephants. I felt this way about The Great Alone, Small Great Things, The Nightingale, Half-Broke Horses, Educated, Refugee, The Harry Potter Series and so many more! Reading is good. Owning is the problem. There was a time when I read less and bought more. But I renewed my interest in reading when I purged nearly all of them. I felt a weight lifted. And was free to read new titles. I even joined a book club and set an annual reading goal in Goodreads. At any given time, I am reading 4 books. One non-fiction, one devotional, one personal development and one on audible. The best part...I take them everywhere on my Kindle, Kindle …
[Read more...] about 5 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Books and Read More
Unlock Your Home’s Potential with the Magic of Margin
Did you know that being organized isn’t really about stuff? It’s about the empty space between the stuff called margin. The magic of margin comes from the white space, breathing room, and buffer. No matter the name, margin allows our possessions to move in and out of a space freely and stay organized too. When I design organizational systems in a closet or cabinet, I spend a lot of time planning how the items will be stored in the space. But I also consider how often they are used. I strive to create margin every time. No matter what space you’re working on, the key is to declutter first and organize second. It’s the margin in these spaces that has the most impact, especially when it comes to staying organized. Because when you reduce the volume, spaces have a way of organizing themselves. Margin not only allows spaces to function better but also makes it more attractive. Did you know the margin on a piece of written work is approximately 37% of the page? …
[Read more...] about Unlock Your Home’s Potential with the Magic of Margin
Why I Stopped Organizing Legos
When my son was young, a fellow mom asked how I organized his Legos? I paused and said, "I don't." Being clutter-free does not mean perfection. Toys were not neatly stowed every night, certainly not Legos. I learned pretty quickly that organizing Legos was unnecessary. In our house, we love Legos. The benefits far outweighed the clutter and our loose organization system worked well. The LEGO Group The LEGO Group makes a high quality, fair trade product. My son would request a special set for Christmas or his birthday from his grandparents. Legos are what I call a "work-horse" toy because they stand the test of time. They also encourage friends and siblings to play together. But I learned that the more toys my son had to clean up, the less he played. And the fewer toys he had, the more he would play. With Legos, he was creative and content. He played with mini-figures from Marvel and Harry Potter at the same time. Sometimes all in one body. We did not stress …
7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School
Summer is coming to an end and many kids are already back to school. Articles fill your feed with items to buy for back-to-school." But what if you handled it differently this year and saved money? Families want to start the year off right. Organizing your school supplies can be a great way to signal the transition from summer to school. Just keep a few things in mind before you shop. Advertising Works Advertising works because billions of marketing dollars make it happen! Ads lure you into buying 64 brand new crayons and all those cute IKEA desks you had to have during the pandemic. Let's be real for a minute. June-scissors work in August, right? Crayons and pencils might be scattered but still create art, correct? Kids are productive in different spaces, so do NOT force them into a desk. (I learned this from a homework expert years ago.) Before the ads convince you to buy, take an inventory of your supplies and consider what you really …
[Read more...] about 7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School
How to Organize Your Storage Space in 3 Simple Steps
I’m not a fan of big storage rooms with endless shelves and bins. But we all have storage needs and it's important to keep it organized. Storage rooms, attics, and garages are where clutter goes to die. And more space simply means more stuff. Most storage rooms I visit are jam-packed with no organization and the floor can't be found. Worse yet, useful items are buried under stuff you do not need. But with intentional planning, you can create an organized storage space. Our storage closet is small. But it holds the following: holiday decorations, extra paint, banker boxes of files, ski equipment, extra flooring and tile, and sentimental items. It is a 4x8 unfinished space that extends under our stairs. So, anything at the back of the closet is small and rarely used like the flooring and tile. Likewise, the more frequently used items are upfront. I resist the urge to fill the entire space and keep the floor clear. Having room to move around and open bins …
[Read more...] about How to Organize Your Storage Space in 3 Simple Steps