Quote him!

Tomorrow's life is too late. Live today.  -Martial

Let the Kids Help!

Summertime is the perfect time to establish new routines and habits into your household.  The kids are home from school and the daily routine has slowed down a bit. (I know, just a bit!) Are you taking advantage of this time? It's also a great time to do some things together while getting "chores" done. Make cleaning out the garage a family event! Make it fun. How about throwing in a scavenger hunt? Whoever finds mom's 45 of  "How Deep is Your Love?" wins a prize or gets to skip a night of doing dishes...use your imagination and make it fun!! Then move onto the next project. It's a great time to start teaching the kid's how to do things...here's where you need to let go of "perfect" or "crazy"a little.  For example, towels don't need to be folded a certain way - they really don't.   A ten year old will load the dishwasher like a ten year old - not like you but hey, dishwasher is loaded...let it be! Be sure to incorporate these new chores into  the schedule on a regular basis so when school starts, the routine is already in place and expectations are already being met!!

Linens 'n' Things

For those of us lucky enough to have a linen closet (hey! I'm from Manhattan- it doesn't happen!), sometimes it's a little tempting to pile in everything that doesn't quite have it's own home.  Or it becomes a great place to shove things when the doorbell rings! My client had that habit and we wanted to help her break it.  We started off, you got it, emptying everything out.  It was important that we ask with each item, "Does this have a home someplace else?  Would it make sense to keep this item in a different place?"  My client made great decisions like keeping the stray holiday decorations in a holiday box in the garage.  There were some items that definitely belonged in the kitchen, and so on.  A couple of items that she didn't remember she had went to  donations and she was breathing easier. What she had left was a really nice size closet for - you got it- her linens!  And now when she's tempted to shove something in that closet when it doesn't belong- she thinks 21times!   

      
                                                             

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! ; )