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Friday, March 12, 2010

Tips for Spring Cleaning

This week while doing end of the year taxes I came across two really helpful handouts that I have used forever but have never shared with you all. One is a tip list for several areas of our home, that no matter who we are we have trouble with most of the time. The other is a cleaning schedule of what needs to be done when and how often.

Organizing Your Closet -
Be honest with your wardrobe
We wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time
Nothing that is not currently wearable
Store nostalgic clothes with memorabilia
Categorize and separate clothing
Types- jackets, shirts, short sleeve shirts, pants, skirts, etc. separate in different parts of the closet to maintain grouping.
Also sub organize those items from light to dark
Get rid of dry cleaner bags, wire hangers

The Kitchen -
Break kitchen down into 5 basic stations
Cleaning
Cooking
Food preparation
Food storage
Serving
Keep a sharpie on top of the fridge to write the date you opened a jar stored inside the door. Especially helpful for baby food.
Creates easier way to spot check for expired food items.
Alphabetize spices in rack to make them easier to locate

Organizing for kids -
Divide child’s room and belongings into centers - grooming, rest, play, art, schoolwork, reading, etc.
If you want your kids to hang their clothes up, make sure your child’s closet rod is low enough for him/her to reach easily.
Have several small storage areas-baskets, bins, crates are good- around the house for gathering playthings quickly and easily.
Use storage that is adjustable, to grow with your child’s needs.

Home Office -
Filing system with broad categories (insurance) and sub categories (auto, life, health) and alphabetized within each category.
Avoid multiple calendars. Use one calendar for reference.

Don't forget to organize your car!!!

Now tips for what to clean and when -

WHAT TO CLEAN EACH WEEK
· Furniture: Dust all hard surfaces.
· Floors: Vacuum or mop.
· Kitchen sink: Scrub and disinfect.
· Appliances: Wipe down surfaces.
· Shower: Clean and scrub down.
· Counters: Wipe down and disinfect.
· Bathtub: Clean and scrub down.
· Toilet : Scrub and disinfect.
· Sheets: Change and launder.
WHAT TO CLEAN EACH MONTH
· Upholstery: Vacuum.
· Stove burner grates: Scrub clean.
· Wastebaskets: Wipe out and disinfect.
· Moldings: Dust.
· Doorknobs: Wipe down and disinfect.
· Kitchen cabinets: Wipe down fronts.
· Ceiling fans: Wipe off and dust.
· Microwave: Clean and deodorize.
WHAT TO CLEAN EVERY 3 TO 6 MONTHS
· Curtains (washable): Launder or hand wash.
· Mattresses: Vacuum every 3 months; flip every 6 months.
· Windows: Wash inside and out.
· Furniture (leather): Clean and condition.
· Stove hood: Clean and degrease.
· Blinds (wooden): Wash.
· Appliances (stainless steel): Polish.
· Drapes: Deep-vacuum.
· Refrigerator: Clean interior.
· Baseboards: Wash or wipe down.
· Coffeemaker: Clean and descale.
WHAT TO CLEAN EVERY 6 TO 12 MONTHS
· Oven: Clean.
· Lamp shades: Wash and clean.
· Fabric shades (washable): Wash.
· Upholstery (washable): Sponge-clean.
· Cabinets: Empty and clean.
· Slipcovers: Wash or dry-clean.
· Tile grout: Scrub.
· Pillows: Launder or dry-clean.
· Condenser coil (refrigerator): Vacuum or dust.
· Comforter: Launder or dry-clean.
· Filter (stove hood): Wash and dry.
WHAT TO CLEAN EVERY YEAR OR SO
· Rugs: Professionally clean.
· Wood floors (polyurethane): Touch up as needed.
· Upholstery (un-washable): Have cleaned every 2 years.
· Walls: Wash.
· Carpeting: Professionally clean.
· Pantry: Clean thoroughly.
· Fabric shades: Professionally clean every 2 years.
· Drapes: Professionally clean every 2 years

Have a great Spring Break!!!!

5:20 pm cst Comments

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Proud to announce our newest service - Get organized with friends, family and a night of fun!!!

Today at 7:46am | Edit Note | Delete

It’s time to get organized and what better way than with friends, family and a night of fun! The newest craze in the home party scene, the Clutter Prescription, is an in-home party helping to organize homes everywhere. Certified Professional Organizer Amanda LeBlanc has researched the market for over 5 years, collecting the best products to help you get and STAY organized. The Clutter Prescription hits the market with over 10 years experience in professional organizing and retail field. Trained consultants will come to your home and provide you and your friends with the proven tools and techniques to help you get organized and change your life.
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Provide a seminar and presentation on the organizing theme chosen by the host*·
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*presentation limited to 30min. **
Q&A limited to 15min***
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205-970-1087
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Time Management

Thursday, January 14, 2010 at 6:36am | Edit Note | Delete

Time Management – two words I keep coming back to week after week. I have throughout the years been notoriously late. I am impressed daily when the kids get to school on time, dressed and nothing is left out of their lunch boxes because I am NOT a morning person. In a New Years resolution induced state I proposed to my husband this year that we start getting up early in the morning to spend some time together quietly before our children got up. He asked me this week, “You were just saying that, right?”
I had to admit I never meant it. Anything before 6:30 am is just not fair.
In recent years I have realized that it isn’t about controlling the clock, or logging my daily chores and responsibilities on a chart to see where I am wasting my time from day to day. I KNOW where I waste my time, with folding and refolding laundry, searching for keys, checking to make sure appliances are turned off before leaving (I know, tad OCD, come by it honest) not to mention all the daily distractions.
Here’s where I feel there has to be a better way and after doing some research on the subject I have found this…it isn’t about managing time it is about managing prep time!
When I take the time to think forward and make preparations say for example prepping for meals during the week all on Sunday, laying out clothes and lunches the night before, preparing a basket that is to go in the truck of the supplies I will need in advance, I find my day runs smoother. Being able to multitask is an awesome ability but multitasking without good results just leaves one frazzled. But to be truly effective we must learn to gain ground. Each day we should strive to get ahead of the game. For the last couple of weeks we have been diligent about cooking a meal and freezing the other half of it for later. It has truly come in handy.
This week we are deep in the trenches with teaching my oldest how to study. Trying to impress upon him that if he studies a little bit each night he won’t have to spend the whole evening doing so. As we all try to track our health on this new Wii Fit Plus we got for Christmas it comes back again to doing a little bit every day.
On that note, I feel healthier when I run as scheduled. When I take my own advise “it only takes 30 seconds to put that pair of scissors back in the same place” or keeping a load of laundry going all the time, I can make the most of my time so I am not bogged down in the evening when everyone is home. Preparation…isn’t there a saying “an ounce of preparation…” oh well maybe it is prevention. Anyway, a lot can be said for thinking ahead. As I go into this New Year I am not going to look at the clock and manage my time, I am going to focus on being better prepared!
After reading in a magazine this week the secrets of really motivated people it seems they make their beds everyday, they don’t leave dishes in the sink overnight, they put their keys in the same location every time. I strive for this. Do I hit the mark all the time? Of course not, but when I get 3 or so days going at a good pace it’s alright to just enjoy that little ground gained.
This morning I am getting ready to drive an hour or more to tape segments for a local channel. I got up at 5:30 (hate it) am and managed to get lunches made, backpacks ready and have a few moments to myself. It is kinda nice….but then I like my sleep too.
Maybe next week’s blog should be about discipline! Happy Organizing

Happy 2010!

Thursday, January 7, 2010 at 2:16pm | Edit Note | Delete

Family time and Technology

Ahh! Christmas break has been a wonderful two week period for me and family. We spent within our budget for the holidays, I prepared enough “really good” food for my family single handedly and kept goodies coming to keep them all happy. We spent many a night playing together on the Wii and Wii fit plus we got on Christmas, the many board games our children got or just Hot Wheels on the living room floor. It was what they call a stay-cation I guess!

My husband normally takes two weeks off but because of a still strugging come- back economy he opted to save one week for later this spring and focus on his month end. Having this last week, between Christmas and New Year’s, to see how much we really enjoy each other has been quite a new experience. We no longer have children under 3 and this season we got to experience a whole new way for us to relax together we haven’t known before. We had Fun!!!

And…my husband and I actually found out we enjoy cooking together in the kitchen and preparing our week of dishes and snacks. After a decade of marriage I dare say we have always had one saucepan that I knew of until my mother in-law took pity on us along with my mom this year and bought us cookware.

When Monday morning after Christmas rolled around both our phones began beeping at 8am. Email messages were dinging on both our desktops and kids were climbing into our bed in their little voices saying “can we play now, you said you would”.

We made a promise to each right there that we would disconnect for that week. No email, no texts, no Facebook, no Twitter, no Youtube. It almost worked too! I did slip in some Facebook time from here to there, I found myself on Youtube once or twice. Texts were kept down but that was really hard too!

It is so hard for us to disconnect ourselves from the virtual world. It is so hard to process all the information firing at us rapidly with the same brain that processes each piece of information one issue at a time. So among all the distractions in my life, seems I am now unable to walk past my desk without checking to see what RHOA’s Kim Zolziak is doing on her Twitter update?

Dave Ramsey says that we should pay attention to the effects our attitude about money has on our children. They are very aware if money is most often a topic in their homes and it influences them at a very young age. We should also be aware of the attitudes we are passing down to them about technology. How many of us have told our children, “in a minute” when we are really doing nothing…but maybe checking out Perez Hilton updates or texting a friend? Guilty!

Bayne and I have talked extensively in our marriage about wanting to subscribe to the simpler life. That is what Lulagrace is all about. Named after my grandmother Lula, the company seeks to make life easier to find for all my clients. And I find that I do that best for myself when I focus on God and my family. When I allow outside distractions into my life they give way to negative thoughts. Peer groups can be just as harsh in your middle age as they were in 7th grade! When I focus on my family, like making them a plate of homemade fudge and hot chocolate for by the fire, I feel such great warmth inside, a peace and calm that is just nice. All these distracting gadgets and even people can really take us away from our responsibilities. Like planning and preparing for our home. Saving money, keeping a stocked pantry, preparing for college and living on what we make.

So this year, try not to get caught up in all this new technology being thrown our way.Put your eyes back on your kids instead of on ___________( enter whatever device is your weakness).Keep it simple, prepare for a rainy day, and take at least one weekend out of the month to arrange a complete disconnect. A stay-cation to check in with each and see what’s going on with everyone…and have fun!!!

Happy 2010!!!