Checking the Cupboards!

Tonight's 15: Let's check the dishes, platters and silverware. Do you have enough? (While you're in there, do you have too many??) Everything in great shape? If not, don't put it back - consider letting go. (REMINDER: You want to USE, need and love everything in your home.) If you don't have enough, consider borrowing from a friend or relative who isn't hosting the big day instead of purchasing (and storing!) more. Using your fancy stuff? Pull out that silverware for tomorrow's 15!

15 min. to Holiday Bliss!

Hey! We've been doing 15 minutes a night this week to get ready for the holidays!!! Let's catch you up and let us know how it's going....

Get rid of anything in the fridge that is expired, went bad or simply stuff nobody likes.

‎15 minutes tonight: a quick and dirty. You've decided what you're keeping in the fridge. Take everything out onto the counter keeping like with like. Do a quick wipe down of the shelves and drawers. Return everything to the fridge- again- keep like with like. Most importantly, make sure you can SEE everything you have. If you can't see it, you won't use it! If there's time, do a quick wipe down on the outside, too.

Tonight's 15 minutes: You'll need certain food items for the holidays and they'll be going on sale soon so let's get to the pantry. Decide what portion you will want to work on tonight, whether it's a shelf or a whole cabinet. Same as the fridge, empty items keeping like with like. Check all expiration dates. REMINDER: If it's something nobody likes or you can't imagine when you'll use it - this is a great time of year to donate those items! Do a quick wipe down. Put items back - like with like - and establish the one in, one out rule. (You have to use something before buying another.) Let the kids help!!

Tonight's 15 minutes: If you have a large pantry, keeping working on that tonight. You want to complete a task rather than skipping around. Plus, we want to make sure your pantry is in tip-top shape! If you completed your pantry last night, let's make a shopping list for the holiday. REMINDER: Shop at home first. Can you tweak a recipe and use what you have? Can you make cherry pie instead of blueberry? You get the idea... Once you're done- pop the list in your wallet so it's accessible in the store. When an item goes on sale, scoop it up! If it's not on your list, ask yourself do you really need it??

Okay...you're all caught up!! See you tomorrow!

Laundry and more...

This fantastic laundry room belongs to my clients, we'll call them Awesome Couple. Awesome Couple loves their bright laundry room but needs it to act as storage, garage and cat room as well. We set to work.  Awesome Couple just painted their hallway so emptying this room was not possible (sometimes it's just not) so we played with the space and were able to divide it into four sorting zones.  First things first, everything that did not belong here was sent to it's proper home (carefully!).  AC loved the idea of keeping the laundry part of the room bright and sparse and so they kept this in mind as they sorted through holiday decorations- anything chipped or simply not adored was sent on its way. The decorations where put into boxes for a sleeker look. Tools were sorted and duplicates were sent to AC's little brother for his new apartment.  All outdoor equipment was hung behind the door on a rack.  AC's awesome cat was given her own corner and careful consideration was given in case of an earthquake...nothing was to be hung over awesome cat's new pad. Done!  AC was then able to keep an entire side of the room for their pristine laundry room- it's all white and it IS amazing!! Awesome Couple needed a temporary storage spot for a lot of paint projects in progress.  They used the floor section for that with the vision that once the painting is done- the floor would stay clear. That will make it much easier to keep that room clean.  Everything was labeled so that both members of Awesome Couple (ahem) would remember where everything belongs and where things are to be returned.  Of special note: AC was ready to spend as much money as needed to organize this room. With the exception of the tool rack, we didn't buy a thing! Instead, we used boxes and "containers" they already had. A giant basket was turned into a hamper, an old ornament box now holds their nuts and bolts, and a smaller basket was perfect for holding all those extension cords and instead of buying crates, they used boxes they already had. You don't need to spend money to get organized. Use what you have and get creative- have fun with it!

-T