James Rowen Tyner and Delaney Drew Olowiany.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
My Friends Kids
So Jenny & Clare both had their babies this month! Here are some cute pictures of the newest short people! Maybe they will date one day!
James Rowen Tyner and Delaney Drew Olowiany.
James Rowen Tyner and Delaney Drew Olowiany.
7 Tips for Beating Clutter Forever
I liked this article....I find things like this helpful!
Expert Donna Smallin knows hundreds of ways to get organized, but for long-lasting order at home, these seven simple strategies top her list.
Most people assume my home is perfectly organized. That's not entirely true. Yes, my house usually looks presentable, because I'm diligent about keeping my kitchen and living areas tidy. And I don't think I could sleep in a messy bedroom, so I never let messes build up there. But just like you, I've got clutter. Why? Because clutter happens. It's a natural byproduct of our busy, productive lives. Luckily, you don't have to stop everything to get organized. You just have to start somewhere. Here's how I do it:
Tip 1: Start with the Easy StuffGo through your home room by room in search of trash. Grab a recycling bin and toss outdated coupons, flyers, calendars, old newspapers, magazines, and catalogs. Shred paid utility bills and other statements not needed for tax purposes. Fill bags or boxes with clothing and linens to donate.
Tip 2: Set Small GoalsSay to yourself: Today I'm going to clean out my junk drawer and then I'm going to stop. Or set a timer for 15 minutes and go to it. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in these mini decluttering sessions. Seeing each project through gives you confidence for the next one.
Tip 3: Give Everything a HomeA big reason why clutter accumulates is because items are homeless. A good home for a frequently used item is one that makes it easy to retrieve and return. Oven mitts, for example, are ideally stored in a waist-height drawer near the stove, but the best home for a roasting pan might be in the garage, freeing up cabinet space for more regularly used items.
Tip 4: Give Yourself Permission to Let GoIf you had only 10 minutes to evacuate your home, what would you grab? Make a decision to surround yourself with only beloved and useful objects and let go of the rest. Have a garage sale, donate, or post items on freecycle.org, an online exchange.
Tip 5: Deal with Clutter HotspotsYou can't hide all clutter, but you can contain it. Look at where it collects and set up attractive ways to deal with it, like a large bowl on the kitchen counter to collect keys, or a big basket by the door for shoes. Discount stores and office supply houses have everything from patterned folders for storing bills to wicker, fabric, and leather boxes to match your decor.
Tip 6: Declutter DailyIt's easier to keep up than to catch up, so establish a daily routine. Grab a laundry basket and make the rounds, tossing in anything to be put away. Also purge periodically. As you sort through off-season clothing, get rid of what you didn't wear. Clean out filing cabinets at year's end.
Tip 7: Be a Good GatekeeperThink twice before you bring home something new. Ask yourself: Do I really need this? Where will I put it? Becoming a more conscious consumer goes a long way toward cutting clutter. Also cancel unwanted catalogs and switch to online bill-paying.
Paper Trail I feel like I spend half my time either filing or trashing paper! Can you relate? Try these strategies: Perform triage on every piece of paper. Ask yourself, Do I need to save this for legal or tax reasons? If so, file it. Could I get this information again easily? If yes, toss it. Take action right away. File bills in a "Bills to Pay" folder. Respond to an invitation, note details on your calendar, then toss the invitation. Tear out articles from magazines and file them in plastic sleeves in a three-ring binder, then recycle the magazine. Use a notebook instead of random sticky notes for lists and contact info. Then you'll always know where to find what you've written.
Donna Smallin's most recent book is The One-Minute Organizer: A to Z Storage Solutions (Storey Publishing).
Expert Donna Smallin knows hundreds of ways to get organized, but for long-lasting order at home, these seven simple strategies top her list.
Most people assume my home is perfectly organized. That's not entirely true. Yes, my house usually looks presentable, because I'm diligent about keeping my kitchen and living areas tidy. And I don't think I could sleep in a messy bedroom, so I never let messes build up there. But just like you, I've got clutter. Why? Because clutter happens. It's a natural byproduct of our busy, productive lives. Luckily, you don't have to stop everything to get organized. You just have to start somewhere. Here's how I do it:
Tip 1: Start with the Easy StuffGo through your home room by room in search of trash. Grab a recycling bin and toss outdated coupons, flyers, calendars, old newspapers, magazines, and catalogs. Shred paid utility bills and other statements not needed for tax purposes. Fill bags or boxes with clothing and linens to donate.
Tip 2: Set Small GoalsSay to yourself: Today I'm going to clean out my junk drawer and then I'm going to stop. Or set a timer for 15 minutes and go to it. You'll be amazed at what you can accomplish in these mini decluttering sessions. Seeing each project through gives you confidence for the next one.
Tip 3: Give Everything a HomeA big reason why clutter accumulates is because items are homeless. A good home for a frequently used item is one that makes it easy to retrieve and return. Oven mitts, for example, are ideally stored in a waist-height drawer near the stove, but the best home for a roasting pan might be in the garage, freeing up cabinet space for more regularly used items.
Tip 4: Give Yourself Permission to Let GoIf you had only 10 minutes to evacuate your home, what would you grab? Make a decision to surround yourself with only beloved and useful objects and let go of the rest. Have a garage sale, donate, or post items on freecycle.org, an online exchange.
Tip 5: Deal with Clutter HotspotsYou can't hide all clutter, but you can contain it. Look at where it collects and set up attractive ways to deal with it, like a large bowl on the kitchen counter to collect keys, or a big basket by the door for shoes. Discount stores and office supply houses have everything from patterned folders for storing bills to wicker, fabric, and leather boxes to match your decor.
Tip 6: Declutter DailyIt's easier to keep up than to catch up, so establish a daily routine. Grab a laundry basket and make the rounds, tossing in anything to be put away. Also purge periodically. As you sort through off-season clothing, get rid of what you didn't wear. Clean out filing cabinets at year's end.
Tip 7: Be a Good GatekeeperThink twice before you bring home something new. Ask yourself: Do I really need this? Where will I put it? Becoming a more conscious consumer goes a long way toward cutting clutter. Also cancel unwanted catalogs and switch to online bill-paying.
Paper Trail I feel like I spend half my time either filing or trashing paper! Can you relate? Try these strategies: Perform triage on every piece of paper. Ask yourself, Do I need to save this for legal or tax reasons? If so, file it. Could I get this information again easily? If yes, toss it. Take action right away. File bills in a "Bills to Pay" folder. Respond to an invitation, note details on your calendar, then toss the invitation. Tear out articles from magazines and file them in plastic sleeves in a three-ring binder, then recycle the magazine. Use a notebook instead of random sticky notes for lists and contact info. Then you'll always know where to find what you've written.
Donna Smallin's most recent book is The One-Minute Organizer: A to Z Storage Solutions (Storey Publishing).
Friday, December 12, 2008
Wanted Coach Purse
I am in love with this purse. I know it's dumb, but I think it's super cute. Of course I find it way after they don't carry it in the stores anymore. I found it on a discount purse website a few months ago and it even came with a free wristlet purse, but did I buy it then, of course not! Oh well, guess it wasn't meant to be!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Baby Showers & New Windows
That's what my weekend consisted of! Saturday I threw Clare & Derek a baby shower at my dad's house which turned out to be great time! I knew it would be, but it was really very nice. Clare's family & friends are super nice, so that makes it much easier. I will post some pictures of the fabulous diaper cake that I made, which turned out to be so cute, once I get copies from Clare's sister (my camera is still broken from dropping it repeatedly on Halloween).
Then Sunday Russ & I decided to get some errands done. We made a trip to Costco for dog food, milk and a few random Christmas presents, then lunch, then home to unload, then to the floor store to check out what they had for the downstairs laundry room & 1/2 bath, then back to the house to measure windows and then to Home Depot where we ordered two more replacement windows for the laundry room and kitchen. Slowly buy surely we are going to replace all the windows in our house. Russ says that we need to get back on that kick again so we can get it done, I tell him that since he's paying the bills now, if he can make it happen, then have at it! The windows have gone on sale since the last time we bought some, so that's always good. I am worried that the bigger ones are going to be much more expensive, but that's life!
Then Sunday Russ & I decided to get some errands done. We made a trip to Costco for dog food, milk and a few random Christmas presents, then lunch, then home to unload, then to the floor store to check out what they had for the downstairs laundry room & 1/2 bath, then back to the house to measure windows and then to Home Depot where we ordered two more replacement windows for the laundry room and kitchen. Slowly buy surely we are going to replace all the windows in our house. Russ says that we need to get back on that kick again so we can get it done, I tell him that since he's paying the bills now, if he can make it happen, then have at it! The windows have gone on sale since the last time we bought some, so that's always good. I am worried that the bigger ones are going to be much more expensive, but that's life!
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Long Term Care Insurance
Since this is my soapbox, I am going to use it. I encourage all of you to look into Long Term Care insurance (LTC) for your parents/grandparents. I'm not trying to sell it to you, because I can't, I'm not licensed to sell it this year and don't plan on be. But regardless, I think that it's a great product meant to protect your families legacy while providing care for those when they need it.
Some stats I learned recently about LTC:
Some stats I learned recently about LTC:
- 1 out of every 2 people over the age of 65 will require some sort of LTC
- Average cost of a skilled nursing home in Central VA runs about $150-$180 per day
- 70 Million people will be 65 or older when the last baby boomers retire in the year 2030
- Virginia has a great medicaid system, but the rules have gotten tighter in the past few years to protect the states reserve.
Just some food for thought! I encourage you to do your own research and especially if you can find some sort of ROP (return of premium) policy, that would be a bonus!
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