by Cindy on February 25, 2010
Organization 101 - Get Organized With Tips and Tricks to Organize Your Life, Work and Home
Do you feel like your life is spinning out of control? Do you sometimes think that you are no better than a hamster on a wheel, just running around in circles all of the time? This is most likely due to the fact that you are unorganized. And when you are disorganized, you are likely to suffer at home, work and in your personal life.
The good news is that you can be organized. It just takes the ability to learn some easy tips and the willingness to use them. You will start to notice a positive difference in your life right away as soon as you start to implement these tips. Not only will you be more organized and feel more in control of your life, but those around you will benefit from your organization skills.
It is easier than you think to get organized. You have to take it one step at a time, though, or else it can seem overwhelming and you are likely to get nothing done at all. The first thing that you need to do is to take stock of your life and make a list of what you want to accomplish. Like anything else, organization is just like anything else you want to accomplish in life. You set a big goal and then set smaller goals so that you can work your way towards achieving this large goal.
Are you ready to get organized? Click here to get the guide now.
Popularity: 2% [?]
Tagged as:
clean,
clutter,
Get Organized,
home living,
homemaking,
house and home,
organization
by Cindy on November 5, 2009
When you are planning a party at your home, you will find that it always seems like no matter how much you clean, or how much you organize; there is always more which you could do. The key to effectively preparing your home to host a party is cleaning and de-cluttering some very vital areas. You should understand that as long as those areas care clean and clutter-free, then your guests will feel comfortable and welcome in your home.
However, even the most seasoned hostess can be intimidated by trying to prepare their home for guests. So, for that reason, here are some tips from professional cleaners and organizers on how you can best prepare your home to host your party:
Tip #1 – Take a look around your home in a quick sweep and decide what you need to do. Take along a pen and paper and make notes for each room of your home. You will want a closet for your guests to hang their coats in and a place to store women’s purses. While you are doing your home walk-through decide where these two locations will be and write them down.
Tip #2 – The first place you will want to start cleaning and tidying up is the entry area of your home, and then work from there cleaning the living room, bathroom, and kitchen areas. In addition, if there are other areas in your home where your guests will be, perhaps a game room or similar, that area will need a good cleaning and de-cluttering as well.
Tip #3 - While everyone has some clutter which they treasure; understand that clutter can give an even spotless home the appearance of being messy and unclean. You want your guests to be able to move freely in your home and not be knocking things off of tables or shelves. When you are cleaning for a party be brutal and get rid of as much clutter as you can bear – even if you just simply box it and place it in the garage for the night.
Tip #4 – If you have a spouse and family, now is the time to enlist them to help you in cleaning and de-cluttering your home. You can easily assign a room to each person and have them be responsible for cleaning and removing anything in the room which does not absolutely need to be there for the party.
Tip #5 - If you have children with messy rooms, but are having an all-adult party, it is fine to simply close your children’s bedroom doors and not make a big deal about them cleaning their rooms for the party. This can greatly relieve your stress pre-party. In essence, stick to cleaning rooms which you absolutely must clean because guests will be in them.
Tip #6 - If your party is informal, consider using casual serving dishes and casual eatery as well. You may even want to purchase some good quality paper plates for the event if it will be a pot-luck or BBQ type event, rather than a sit-down meal.
Tip #7 - It is important for you to know that where there are people with food and drinks, there will be spills and stains. The easiest way to deal with these issues is to be completely prepared to deal with them before they ever happen. Have a small box with cleaning supplies which you can use to clean up any messes which might occur during the party.
Tip #8 – Once your home is clean and clutter-free, then it is time to go around your home and add back some small, personal touches which make your home comfortable and inviting for your guests. You can accomplish this through the use of flowers, photographs of your family, and candles. To deal with any musty odors your home may have, you can burn candles or simmer cinnamon and cloves on the stove.
Tip #9 – Once your home has been prepared and you have a back-up plan to deal with any unforeseen stains or spills, then it is time for you as the hostess to sit back and enjoy your party.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Tagged as:
Cleaning,
Entertainment,
guests,
host,
hosting,
Parties,
party
by Cindy on November 5, 2009
There is probably nothing more frustrating to a cat owner than litter box accidents. In fact, habitual litter box accidents are the number one reason why cat owners give their cats up to animal shelters. When your cat refuses to use the litter box, there is usually an underlying reason. Before you become exasperated by your cat’s inability to make it to the litter box, here are some common causes for this problem.
Litter Box Woes
One of the main reasons why a cat begins to refuse to use the litter box is because their own litter box is dirty. Many cats are extremely fussy about the condition of their litter box, while others will use it no matter how full it looks. If your cat has a litter box accident, the first place you should check is the litter box. Some pets prefer that their litter box cleaned out after each use. While this is time consuming for you, it may be a simple fix to this problem. You should start a daily routine of cleaning out your cat box and you may find that this solves your problem.
Another common problem related to the litter box is there are not enough litter boxes for the number of cats you have. For example, if you have four cats in your home, and you should have at least one litter box per cat. Cats like to have their own space, and this is especially true when it comes to their litter box. In fact, many veterinarians recommend that even if you have only one cat, you should have at least two litter boxes.
In addition, when it comes to litter box accidents, look at the type of litter you are using and the size and shape of the litter box. If you have a tray litter box without a lid, maybe your cat would feel more secure in a closed box. If you have an older cat, or a young kitten, you cat may have a difficult time getting in and out of a closed top box. Watch your cat carefully when he or she uses the litter box. If you find that, they are having a difficult time getting in and out of the litter box and consider getting a different box. Also, look at the type of litter you use. Your cat may be extremely fussy about the smell or texture of the litter. Many people preferred using the scoop away litter; however, many cats will not use this type of litter, because it sticks in the paws. You may also find that the litter you use causes a lot of dust that is disagreeable to your cat.
Health Issues
Your cat may be refusing to use the litter box, because of health related issues. If you have tried all the above tips and nothing seems to be working, then it is time to visit your veterinarian. Cats that have bladder problems, urinary tract infections, kidney failure and diabetes are more prone to litter box accidents than healthy cats. You need to take your cat to the vet and have a thorough health exam performed to find out if your cat is suffering around an ailment. If this is the case, your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help your cat.
Habit and Your Cat’s Territory
If your cat has been ill or have stopped using the litter box for any of reason, you may find that your cat returns to their old ways out of habit. It is extremely important that when your cat has a litter box accident, that you clean the area thoroughly to get rid of any odors that may remain. In addition, your cat may have not stopped using the litter box at all but instead, your cat is marking his or her territory. This is especially common in multi-cat households or when you bring in new pet into the home. This is also more common in males than females. Even male cats that are neutered can mark their territory by spraying urine.
When you determine why your cat is having litter box accidents, you can find a solution. It takes time and patience; however, this is much more preferable than getting rid of your cat.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Tagged as:
accidents,
litter box,
Pets
by Cindy on October 28, 2009
by Cindy on October 14, 2009
When kids play, it is almost a certainty that there will be a mess to clean up after they are done. By having a playroom in the house, it can help keep the toys from taking over the rest of the house, including their bedrooms. But, how do you keep the playroom from getting to the point there is no room to play? Here are a few tips, including how to get the kids to help.
Start with sorting through all the toys and finding the things that they never play with anymore. Have they outgrown them? Are the broken? Make piles of things to pass on, or sell in a garage sale, things to throw away and things to keep. Sort the toys by type and then you can decide if you need to change the way they are stored. You may not have to get anything new; you may have enough containers that aren’t being used in other rooms around the house.
To help the kids put things away, borrow an idea from classrooms: label everything. Make signs, either with words, pictures cut from magazines or both, and attach them to the various containers and shelves. The kids then have a clear guide for putting things away. It also helps when they want a specific toy - they can just look for the signs and know where to look, that is if they’ve put things away.
Another way to help reduce the chaos is to reduce the number of toys in the room. Divide the toys into groups, some to pack away for a time, and some to have out. Store them in a closet, the basement, or anywhere else they will be out of the way. When the time comes to swap the sets of toys, it’s almost like getting new toys without buying anything else.
Changing the way toys are stored can also help. By having easy access containers, the kids can put things away more easily. Younger children can have a hard time with lids, but there are nice fabric containers that are flexible and are safe for them. Some of these come designed to look like animals or people and are a lot of fun. Clear plastic containers are also great because the kids can actually see what is in the box before digging through the whole thing.
Stuffed animals seem to multiply like real rabbits at times. There are a few options for corralling those critters. There are Velcro poles that the animals stick to. They can be tucked in a corner and do not take up much space. There are also stuffed animal hammocks that can be hung up to save floor space, but these should only be used with older children. Have them at a height where they do not pose a choking hazard.
The biggest key to keeping it all under control is maintaining it every day. Get the kids into a new habit of only getting one thing out at a time and putting it back when they are done. If this is too hard, then reduce the number of toys available, increasing them as the kids get used to the new system.
Popularity: 2% [?]
by Cindy on December 27, 2008
You’ve undoubtedly seen the television show called “Clean Sweep”, or one like it. It’s a show that helps families clean up and unclutter their homes. If you think your home needs a clean sweep, one way to achieve this is to clean one room at a time until the whole home is clutter-free.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when your home is cluttered. Trying to decide what to do to get rid of the clutter is even more discouraging. You look at the things in your home and wonder where to start. Here are some ideas that will help you succeed at clearing the clutter.
Start by focusing on one room at a time. If you look at everything you’ll easily be intimidated by the scope of the work to be done. By cleaning out one room at a time, you’ll get a sense of accomplishment when you’re done with one room, and be encouraged to move on to the next.
Be prepared with trash bags, plenty of cardboard boxes, and some storage containers. Label the boxes “Keep”, “Donate”, and “Trash”. Then start going through the items in the room.
Clean off all surfaces and empty out each drawer. If it’s a bedroom, take everything out of the closet. You will have a number of boxes, but don’t look at the total number. Concentrate on one box by deciding about each and every item in the box, then go to the next box.
Clothing: If you love the clothes and wear them often, put them in the Keep box. If clothing hasn’t been worn in six months you may want to donate them, so put them in the Donate box. If they’re torn or need repairs and you love them, put them in the Keep box. If they need repairs or are stained and you don’t like them, in the Trash they go. Put the boxes you intend to keep aside and move on.
Shoes: Treat shoes as you did clothing. Keep only those pairs that you love and wear often. If you haven’t used them, unless they are seasonal shoes, let them go. Each pair you get rid of will give you more room and less clutter.
Music: Go through your music collection to see if there’s anything you’ve outgrown or your musical tastes have changed. Sort and store your favorite music.
Papers: Take the time to go through the papers in this room. Start a filing system if you don’t already have one in place. You can begin by separating items by broad categories and then into smaller subcategories as needed.
Books: Unless you’ve read a book multiple times or have recently acquired it, books may be something you’ll consider passing on to others. You can donate them to shelters, charities, or even a local library. Books take up a lot of room so getting rid of some of them will open up space in your room.
After you’ve taken the time to decide upon which items you’re keeping, what is being donated, and what is being thrown away, take the donate boxes and trash bags out of the room. Clean the room from top to bottom, paint if that is planned, and then rearrange or remodel the room. Put the items you’re keeping back into the room, being careful to store the items in an organized manner.
Give yourself a break after completing one room. Then start on the next room - separating, keeping, tossing, and donating items until each and every room in your house has been swept clean and is organized. Congratulate yourself for hard work well done.
Popularity: 100% [?]
Tagged as:
Cleaning,
clutter,
organizing
