To do: absolutely nothing

August 29th, 2010

to-do-list-pad

A client called today saying she was in desperate need of organizational assistance. She had made a trip to the grocery store only to realize that she’d lost all the money in her purse somewhere between point A and point B. She immediately blamed her lack of organization. However after a quick discussion, we came to the conclusion that it was not a matter of disorganization, but rather an issue of time management.

We want so much to make the most of our days, to pack in as much as we can into every precious moment, that often we do this at a cost – literally and figuratively. From lost money, jewelry, sunglasses, and phones, to lost time which children, family, and friends. One could say it’s a symptom of American culture, that our workaholic ways contribute to our ADD, forgetfulness, and overwhelming feelings of exhaustion. However, just because that is the general consensus, does not mean you have to fall victim to it.

Slow down. Take your time. Enjoy yourself. But most of all, be realistic! Accomplish two or three errands or tasks on your to-do list a day, but then know when to quit. Rushing will only lead to careless errors. When leaving a cash desk (aka register) don’t shove your change into your pocket or purse. Take an extra 60 seconds to put it back into your wallet. Accomplishing LESS can make actually leave you feeling MORE fulfilled. So what if you have an extra 30 minutes and can fit in a few more to-do’s. STOP! Instead, watch your favorite TV show, take a longer lunch, read a book, call a friend from outside of your car, or better yet, go for a walk. Who knows, you might just find some roses to smell.

<3 Brooke

Not all labelers are made equal

August 1st, 2010

BrotherLabels

Label makers are to professional organizers as toilet plungers are to plumbers. (thank you college algebra for finally proving yourself worthwhile)

In order to keep yourself and the members of your household on the same page of the organizational handbook, it is often helpful to label shelves, containers, bins, files, and folders, with a basic description of what belongs where. Not only is the key to organization keeping everything in it’s place, but it’s also about keeping everyone in their place as well; following the same system of organization once one has been established. Easier said than done, we know.

One tool that has proven helpful to this process is the age old label maker. However, not all label makers are made equal – in fact, they vary from brand to brand. Not only in terms of quality, but with regards to label consistency. For example, the font type options and sizes of a Container Store label maker differ from that of a Brother label maker. If you hire a professional organizer and they label with a particular label maker, ask what brand they use in order to stay consistent with their work. The same applies for buying multiple label makers for a home or office.

For our favorite label maker, check out the h|b shop page.

Happy labeling!

<3 Brooke

Garage & Bake Sale Tips

July 28th, 2010

pinkcookies

Inspired by my fashionista apron (see blog post below) I decided to join my neighborhood garage sale with none other than, an impromptu bake sale! After all, what’s the point of having this cute apron if nobody gonna see it? However, once the sale was over and my own stomach was stuffed with rice krispy treats and brownies, I realized something very important… in order to have a successful sale of any kind, you have to be really organized! Here are some tips and tricks for your next garage or bake sale…

Garage Sales:

1) Post signs early! You want to get the hype going before the big day, so make sure the neighborhood knows in advance. If you’re internet savvy, advertise your sale on websites like Craigslist and yard sale treasure map.

2) Use bright signs. With a nice clean font, print or hand write your signs with a dark marker on brightly colored paper .

3) Put your good stuff out in front. With garages sales, it’s all about curb appeal. Put your TVs, framed art, and large pieces of furniture out in front to grab the attention of the intimidated shoppers who do drive by’s before coming in.

4) Keep your inventory organized. If the majority of your sale items are clothing, hang your good stuff on an inexpensive clothing rack, (found at your local Bed Bath and Beyond, Target or Container Store) while organizing your smaller stuff – such as t-shirts, shorts, and pants, in labeled boxes. Pull out the expensive stuff you wish to haggle over, leaving everything in the boxes to be one set price which is then labeled accordingly. Ex: All t-shirts $5.

5) Have change ready to go. You don’t want to turn people away because you can’t break a 20. Make sure you have bills and coins of all shapes and sizes to accommodate those evil bargain hunters who always talk you down, no matter how much that poster was your favorite in college.

6) Set up like Fort Knox. Rather than a money box which is easily transportable, try keeping your stash on you in a Scrooge McDuck money bag or a fanny pack for quick and easy cash transactions. Lululemon’s Travel Pooch is my favorite if you’re looking for a fashionable alternative.

Bake Sales:

1) Make a cute sign. Lemonade stands and bake sales sell themselves, but you still want to entice peoples eyes, not just their stomachs. Opt to make a handmade sign for that old fashioned feel. My fav is hanging colored paper squares or coasters with sparkly letters from twine using clothes hangers. Don’t be afraid to let your inner Martha Stewart come out.

2) Presentation is key. For my bake sale, I ran to the nearest flea market and found the most amazing 2 tiered shabby chic cake stand ever! I added it to my current collection of vintage plates, and gave my bake sale table appeal that no one (not even the strictest of dieters) could resist.

3) Wear a cute apron! A cute apron goes a long way!

Craft fair find of the century

July 24th, 2010

iamdorkas

Someone please pinch me. I think I’ve died and gone to handmade heaven! While strolling through the isles of the The Renegade Craft Fair today for future holiday gifts (to myself) I came upon a treasure that was so amazing, so fantastic, that I didn’t…couldn’t buy just one, I bought two! Crafted from the skilled hands of a loving mother, these finely tailored pieces truly are priceless works of art. In fact, my first thought was to selfishly covet them, revealing to no one from whence they came. But then I realized, my find was so good, that it was my duty to share it – it would be a sin not to!

Ladies (and some charismatic gentlemen) I introduce you to … the most amazing apron in the world!

Made from thick durable cotton in chic colorful prints, is the best fitting apron you will ever find. It flatters the body like no other, and makes me want to break out a cookie sheet and dance! Move over Martha, this girl’s got a secret weapon … my sexy apron! Here’s where to find them… i am dorkas

PS. Don’t let the name fool you. These are anything but dorky. I believe it’s a Finnish namesake.

<3 Brooke

Set the table while saving a tree

June 30th, 2010

biodegradeableware

Is it an oragami bird? Is it a paper airplane? No, it’s Wasara Biodegradable Tablewares!

From one of our favorite stores on Abbot Kinney A+R,comes a new take on disposable wares. Made from 100% renewable materials such as sugar cane fiber, bamboo and reed pulp, and responsibly manufactured in an ISO 9001 and 14001 Certified factory, these Japanese works of art are not only beautiful to dine off of, but are fully biodegradable and compostable as well. Suitable for hot or cold foods and beverages, and oil and water-resistant, these table toppers are almost too pretty to eat off!

<3 Brooke

A groupie for Groupon

June 11th, 2010
Groupon!

Despite the creepiest logo I’ve seen to date, people are going goo goo for Groupon. The latest and greatest deal making website that uses collective buying power (i.e. a group) to convince local merchants to offer their goods and services at discounted rates. From 50 to 90 percent off, Groupon does the dirty work of getting you the best deals on restaurants, spas, gyms, and retailers in your neighborhood, and all you have to do is sit back and reap the rewards. When enough Groupon groupies show interest in buying a particular online coupon, the deal activates and you’ve just scored yourself a $100 massage for $45 bucks! Think Tony Soprano putting pressure on the local meat shop for a good deal on veal, then giving that deal to the whole family. It’s not evil, it’s supply and demand … with a little mob mentality.

When to get rid of boxes

May 10th, 2010

Empty boxes take up a good portion of our home’s limited storage space. From computers to cameras, old cell phones to toaster ovens; what once safely housed our expensive purchases, now takes up valuable real estate in our closets and garages. The tragedy here being that most people keep these boxes unnecessarily for years. So what boxes should you keep and which do you toss? (aka recycle) Here’s a great guide…

Boxes for electronics or kitchen appliances should only be kept for the duration of the product’s warranty or the receipts return policy. Anything after that period is just stealing space. To avoid this, put your warranty expiration date on your boxes to notify you when it’s safe to discard them. If you don’t have a filing system with a “manuals and warranties” file, slip the store receipt and warranty into a plastic bag. Mark the bag with the expiration date with either a Sharpie or a label maker, and affix the bag to the box with tape.

Note: the only exception to the warranty rule, is if you plan on selling your recently bought Nikon D90 someday or that vintage Nintendo NES. In this case, most ebay fanatics love to receive their purchase in it’s original box. However do not abuse this rule.

<3 Brooke

Dear Mom’s

May 9th, 2010

Mother'sDay

As our present to you, here are few quick tips on how to keep your kids clutter in check – as well as your sanity.

1. Choose clear bins over solids. Avoid the toy labyrinth in your home’s playroom by organizing with clear plastic bins. Since visibility and easy identification is key for kids under the age of 4, label your bins with large colorful signs, as well as a photo of what’s in each. Once playtime is over, make a game out of putting the toys back in their correct bins. Not only will you cut down on clean up time, but you’ll be providing your children with a rich educational environment that’s fun too.

Note: Traditional homes call for more natural looking materials. If clear plastic bins are too modern for your taste, purchase natural woven baskets for your storage solution. To attach the descriptive labels and photos, use clothes pins or a glue gun for a more permanent solution.

2. Create a toy flow system. Every time your child receives a new toy, donate or discard something old. Don’t feel bad, this rule applies to your closets as well. Toys, much like clothes, wear with time and lose our interest once something better comes along. More importantly, teaching your children early about healthy attachments is imperative in their formative years. If this happens to be an issue already, try donating twice a year – right before Christmas/Hanukkah, and before each child’s birthday. Have a discussion about how they are helping less fortunate children and involve them in the giving process if possible.

3. Organize by age. Keep toys and arts and craft supplies that are not age appropriate on higher shelves in containers with locking lids. You’d be surprised how skillful those mischievous monkeys are at climbing. Anything within your child’s grasp should be something that can be played with without scrupulous supervision.

4. Edit down artwork. If your kids are bringing home enough artwork to fill the Getty Museum, it’s time to get real. Your kids don’t want to be bombarded with everything they’ve made from preschool to junior high. Nor do you want to be storing it all until they’re married with a place of their own. So be selective. Rotate the fridge art into labeled storage bins – one for each child, storing the boxes in an area where extreme heat won’t effect the glue – try under the bed boxes if you need to maximize space. If you’re the crafty/techno type, take photos of your child’s best works and do one of the following:

1. Store them on a CD

2. Create a website dedicated to your childs art for distant relatives to admire

3. Create an photo book or calendar (See Snapfish or Inkubook)

4. Turn smaller art into one-of-a-kind cards for friends and relatives

5. Laminate large pieces for personalized place mats

Happy Mother’s Day!!!

xoxo – hb

What can’t a coffee filter do?

May 4th, 2010

CoffeeFilter

Being friendly to Momma Earth isn’t just about drinking out of the latest and greatest stainless steel water bottle. It’s about recycling, conserving, and most of all, being creative. Like using what you already have, rather than buying new. I know it’s hard. Especially when there is a product for everything. I mean, why use a spoon from your kitchen when you can buy a green plastic avocado pitter from Williams-Sonoma?

The challenge is knowing “do I really need this?” My mom made me ask myself this every time we went clothes shopping. But mom, wanting and needing those tapered leg acid wash jeans are two different things! I digress. The point is, why buy new, when what you already have might serve the same purpose. For example, many items in your home that you thought could only do one thing (because that’s how they are cleverly advertised) can really double as two, three, sometimes four products.

What are they you ask? Well, one such miracle tool is the coffee filter. Did you know that a coffee filter can …

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. They make an excellent shield for those unsightly splatters.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome. Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect your china. Separate your good dishes by placing a coffee filter between each.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. A mesh strainer might not catch all the small bits.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. (if it’s been well seasonsed, use a paper plate so the oils aren’t absorbed)

6. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

7. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

8. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

9. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

10. Put a few on a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc. to absorb the grease.

11. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or applique soft fabrics.

12. Put baking soda into a coffee filter, wrap with a rubberband, and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

13. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in soups and stews.

14. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

15. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage. LOVE THIS.

16. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

17. Use as a disposable “snack bowl” for popcorn, chips, etc.

Oh, apparently they also filter water through coffee grinds. Who woulda thought! So make the most out of what you have and get creative with your stuff. The planet and your pocket book will thank you.

Brooke

Don’t get saucy with me!

April 26th, 2010

JewelrySaucers

The ideal bedtime routine: remove jewelry, put on PJs, wash face, brush teeth, read book, turn off lights, kiss goodnight.

From the many years of stumbling into bed in a semi-awake state in which my pores paid the price, I’ve learned that it is very important to establish a healthy nighttime routine. Not just for hygiene purposes, but for your sanity as well. The only thing worse than a stud earring stabbing you in the night, is waking up to a missing pair of earrings after unconsciously removing them at 2am. It’s maddening I tell you!

So to avoid this nightmarish habit, create a place for overnight safekeeping on or in your nightstand. Use simple everyday items found around your home, like decorative boxes, bowls, or tea cups. Yes, tea cups. The idea came to  me while trying to figure out what to do with the other half of a broken tea set for two. Rather than discarding the entire set, I placed the orphaned teacup and saucer on my nightstand for a discrete jewelry catchall. It’s genius I tell you! In fact, you know your idea is a good one when you come across it on Martha Stewart’s website. Apparently she likes to sort her jewelry with teacups and saucers on a velvet-lined drawer to prevent sliding and rattling. Oh Martha, always the shepard never the sheep.

Brooke