Tonight's 15: While you're in the crafting mood, let's do place cards tonight! It's fun to mix up company and have people sit next to someone they might not have chosen. What a great opportunity to get the family closer! Whether you purchase place cards or make them yourself (much more fun!), get them ready ahead of time and keep them with your linens. Here's a couple of great ideas from Real Simple.


http://www.realsimple.com/holidays-entertaining/holidays/thanksgiving/thanksgiving-place-cards-00100000068245/index.html

Silver lining...

Tonight's 15: Get out the silver and start polishing! I know a lot of my clients leave this for the last minute and they're always sorry. It may take longer than 15 so you can break it up into two nights or even better recruit some help. Older kids can help (let them pick the music tonight!). If no polishing is necessary, make sure you have enough serving utensils, turkey baster in good shape, carving knife sharpened,...?

Decorations!!!

Who doesn't LOVE decorations?? I know I do!!! I know I have had too many decorations in the past. I've also had sentimental items that weren't quite right for my decor but I still couldn't let go...so I kept them in the box and stored them year after year. 
And then I stopped. I gave myself a limit for each holiday. How many crates seem reasonable to you? And be reasonable. ; ) I then went through every single decoration one at a time and asked myself do I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it? AND would I buy it again? Downsizing was so easy to do with these two questions. 
If possible, have a friend join you in the process. My sister was right by my side, checking out every item. Did she just gasp at those skeleton tongs?? Here you go!!! So fun and easy to give away something when someone you love really wants it...She also snagged a very large, very funny chick candle. When she couldn't stop laughing, I couldn't hand it over fast enough!
Also, when you are checking out each piece one by one - you really see it. You see the chips, scratches, bad paint jobs, etc. Sometimes you find your not crazy about it anymore but it's what you've always hung on the door (without really thinking about it!). Let it go if it doesn't make you smile or make you feel great. Isn't that why we decorate? 
I had a ton of sentimental pieces that I photographed, scanned and then said goodbye to. You can put those pictures in an album that's displayed every holiday so that those sentimental pieces can be shared and enjoyed. Then tuck the album away with the decorations- it takes up a lot less space, doesn't it? 
I also think it's a lot more fun to decorate and un-decorate when there is less to do. It doesn't seem like such a chore and it's actually fun! Give it a whirl and let us know how you do!
Here, I'll start you off...Happy Holidays!!!

21times in New York December 15 - January 4!

21times is heading "home" for the holidays! The time will fly and we've already booked some slots! Give us a call to cull those decorations before and after, declutter and make room for the new or just start off 2012 with a clean slate! We can't wait to see you all! Call for your appointment today 917-502-7811. 

Greeting Cards

It's so great to receive a card, who doesn't love that? Always brings a smile to this gal. But if you've saved every card you ever received, it's time to think about letting them go. Grandma won't mind if you don't keep the card she sent you on your 5th birthday - I promise. I know, you think you're going to cozy up one rainy day with hot cocoa and a blanket and re-read those cards. Guess what? That's never going to happen! Too harsh? Ok, how about you go through that giant stack, box, chest of cards and pick out a couple that really are meaningful. Maybe somebody made it for you or wrote a really beautiful note. Then, sure, that might be a keeper. Now, where are you keeping it? If it's in a box in a closet, it's not going to make you smile. Put it in a frame or display it some place that you'll see it everyday...and smile. If it's special, treat it like it's special.  Now for the others...if you can't get rid of all the Number One Mom cards, how about scanning them? Now you can put them on your desk top in a slide show that can remind you all day long that you're a super mom! Oh, what's that, a smile? Make sure to recycle or find someone who'll use those old cards. During specific times of the year St. Jude's collects the front of greeting cards and the kids use them to make their own cards and earn some pocket money...try it, and pass along that smile. : )
www.stjude.org

Organize Now...WHILE You are Waiting for Tomorrow!!!

21times understands that you want everything "just right"...who doesn't? But you can be organized NOW- you don't have to wait until you can afford the fancy baskets and hooks and furniture. Sure, they are fantastic to have but what about now? All of your belongings are strewn about your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen and driving you nuts. 21times always stresses you don't have to spend a lot of money to be organized. No money? Well, what a great excuse to use what you have and rev up that imagination! Get everyone involved!! Does Dad need a container for his magazines or wires or tools?? Let's use those old shoe boxes you're saving (cut the charade- I've been in your house- I've seen them!! ; )  and cover it with pictures from his car, sports, cigar, gadgets, etc. magazine...Now everyone knows it's Dad's box for Dad's stuff and look at that, it's not all over the kitchen counter anymore! Your daughter's hair clips will look great in that coffee canister you swore to me you would use (hehe!) Can we paint it pink or her favorite color? Or use some wrapping paper?? Let her decorate it herself... Love those great hooks that match any decor- yeah, me too-but for now you can use nails and paint them funky colors. I know you are waiting to buy that fantastic shoe rack but in the meantime you CAN line them up neatly so you can find them today. You're waiting for that perfect jewelry sorter for your costume jewelry- you know - right now- put them on hangers- sort them by color, type- whatever you'd like. You get the idea!!  We all want our homes to be perfect. As for me, I'll take organized over perfect any day!  : D
Got some great ideas?? We'd love to hear them...

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

It's in the Storage Closet so I can't get to it...

Okay, so we've all tucked something away for the long haul and cringed when we actually needed it.  How many times have you been so excited to pack for a vacation but waited for somebody to dig the suitcases out of the attic, garage, storage closet?  How about that punch bowl you would love to use but by the time you find it...?  Honestly, it happens to all of us at one point or another. My client, owner of the fantastic closet below was ready to break this routine, so she gave us a call.  She has this great closet but as you can see it was difficult, if not impossible, to  get to anything. Those are Christmas decorations tucked way back there...perfect for the rest of the year but absolute misery for the client when she was getting ready to decorate. By the time she dug those out, nobody was feeling super festive. We set to work emptying everything out of the closet and my awesome client decided what she really wanted to keep and what could be donated.  It's important to be ruthless with these choices because these items are taking up a lot of great space.  My client focused on how she wanted that closet to function. She wanted a path the whole length of the closet and she kept that path in her mind as she decided what was important to her and what could go.  I think she did a fantastic job! I know, if it's in a storage closet, what's the big deal?  Let's discuss that the next time you need that suitcase! ; )