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Food for Thought: Are You Stuffed This Season?

Janice Russell — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:20:01 +0000

Christmas is just around the corner, and along with bringing holiday cheer it also brings holiday “stuff.” As you look around your home does it seem inevitable that clutter will be a part of your holiday celebrations? Maybe some of the items belong to other family members, regardless has all of the stuff been around so long that it seems it has grown roots? Things without a specific home become clutter, and clutter has a way of morphing from a small pile into part of your home décor (décor that’s eye catching in a bad way!). Full Article

Use SMART Goals to Get Organized in 2011

Janice Russell — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 20:18:04 +0000

It’s January, 2011. Have you broken your New Year’s Resolutions? Have you given up making New Year’s Resolutions? Full Article

Develop the Details

Janice Russell — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:24:45 +0000

Want to get organized? Let’s bring your desire for organization into reality by developing a plan. Go ahead and groan, but without a destination, you don’t know how to get there. You may have heard of SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Without becoming overwhelmed or too legalistic, you can make SMART organizing goals. Full Article

Rescue Horizontal Surfaces from Papers

Janice Russell — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:25:21 +0000

Piles of papers on your desk, kitchen island, floor, every possible horizontal surface? Does the constant influx of papers lead to overwhelm? Whether at home or at the office, most people have a never ending battle with papers. Ready to win the paper pile battle? Full Article

Replace Your Dryer With An Old-Fashioned Clothes Line

Susanne Myers — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:01:08 +0000

Drying your laundry outside on a clothes line can save you quite abit of money and is easier than you may think. Yes, I am talking about the good-good-old-fashioned method of hanging your clothes on a laundry line to dry. Over the past decade or two this has become somewhat of a rarity. In fact, many developments and even entire cities now prevent you from hanging your clothes outside to dry. It is a shame, especially when skipping the dryer has quite a few benefits including being better for the environment. Full Article

Making the Most of your Space to Garden

Tammy Paquin — Tue, 11 May 2010 15:43:26 +0000

With all the talk of contaminated store-bought vegetables and the cost of those vegetables rising every day, it makes sense to grow your own whenever and wherever possible. People think that growing fruit and vegetables requires a lot of space but that couldn’t be further from the truth with these space-saving tips. Full Article

Tips for Making Your Holiday Dinner a Success

Stephanie Martin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:04:13 +0000

Everyone enjoys going getting together with family and friends for a big holiday meal, but sometimes the stress of preparation is almost too much to bear. But, there are just a few simple things that you can do to help reduce and/or eliminate the stress. Full Article

Menu Planning, Not As Hard As It Seems

Stephanie Martin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:55:59 +0000

I’ve noticed that a lot more people are talking about menu planning here lately. Some have been doing this for years, others a few weeks/months, and still others just flat out refuse! I love the excuses that I’ve heard for NOT planning a menu: Full Article

Organizing for Dollars

Tammy Paquin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 20:00:56 +0000

With the success of EBay and the increasing cost of running a household, everyone should see dollar signs when they look at things in their home! Unorganized homes cost money! When was the last time you REALLY got your home cleaned out and organized? Full Article

Housework with Toddlers – Here Comes Trouble!

Carrie Lauth — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:27:10 +0000

It’s so interesting that once our babies start toddling around, creating a lot more mess in their insatiably curious and neverending activity, we expect ourselves to have a perfectly tidy home. When your baby was younger you probably imagined that once she started sleeping through the night and playing independently you would get a handle on the chores. Surprise! Full Article

Laundry – The Neverending Story?

Carrie Lauth — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 21:24:26 +0000

Laundry can be a huge time sucker and it’s the task many Moms dread most. It doesn’t have to be this way. Here are some tips to help you tame the laundry beast. Full Article

Homemaking 101: Practice Makes Perfect

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:12:42 +0000

I recently paid a quarter for one of the most inspirational homemaking books I’ve yet to come across. Published in 1952 and written by Carolyn Coggins, it is called Successful Entertaining at Home. At first glance I thought this book was just a manual for teaching you how to host a successful dinner party, but at closer examination I saw that it was much more than that – it’s “a complete party book and homemaker’s manual all rolled into one.” Full Article

Black and White Themed Teen Bedroom Decorating Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:11:24 +0000

When we found out we were having twins, our teenage daughter volunteered to move into a smaller bedroom so that the twins could have the bigger one. It was definitely time to come up with a new bedroom theme! We also didn’t have much space to work with or a lot of money to spend. So when we moved her into the smaller bedroom, she decided to decorate with a black and white theme. Full Article

Heirloom Decorating

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:59 +0000

I love to surround myself with things from the past. To me “heirloom” doesn’t necessarily mean something really old, because memories are always in the making, and displaying a family keepsake can be treasured whether it’s from last year or fifty years ago. Full Article

Budget Bathroom Makeover Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:24 +0000

I recently gave my bathroom a complete makeover. It was much
easier than I expected, and only took a few days to complete.
For less than $200 I gave my bathroom a completely new look that
I love. Full Article

Floral Photos Brighten Spring and Summer Decor

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:10:03 +0000

Don’t you love the colors of spring and summer? Many flowers are
in full bloom, delighting the senses with their beauty and
fragrances. It always amazes me how quickly these seasons pass. Full Article

Decorating a Baby’s Nursery with a Beatrix Potter Theme

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:09:32 +0000

I don’t consider myself an expert interior decorator. In fact,
I’m quite an amateur, but do enjoy do-it-yourself home
decorating. When my husband and I found out we were expecting
twins, we were both very excited to decorate the babies’ bedroom. Full Article

Create a Tuscan-Inspired Decorating Theme for any Room

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:07:45 +0000

In the past couple of years a Tuscan style of decorating has
become very popular in home decor. It’s easy to see why…a
Tuscan inspired room stirs up visions of rural Italian
countrysides, worn wood furniture, old pottery, wrought iron
accessories, and warm earthy colors. Full Article

Decorating a Boy’s Bedroom with an Auto and Airplane Theme

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 22:07:23 +0000

Choosing a decorating theme for your boy’s bedroom isn’t always
easy. Your child can make it easy on you, however, if he has
developed definite interests at a young age. Full Article

Keeping a Kitchen Journal

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:36:27 +0000

I know, I know, you’re thinking a journal for the kitchen? Full Article

Meal Planning Made Easy

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:35:59 +0000

It’s no fun trying to decide what to make for dinner every night. Planning your meals ahead of time often saves you time as well as money. Full Article

Organize Your Seasonal Home Decorating

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:35:32 +0000

I don’t spend a lot of money decorating my home. Many people
don’t want to spend the time or money to decorate with the
seasons, but over the years I have learned some ways to
creatively seasonally decorate that have cost little or next to
nothing. Full Article

Bathroom Organizing Ideas

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:34:50 +0000

If you’re short on space in the bathroom, there are a number of ways you can optimize the space you do have to work with. Here are some ideas that have worked great for our family: Full Article

Organizing Your Craft and Sewing Supplies

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:33:06 +0000

If you’re a weekend crafter like me, you probably have a lot of crafting odds and ends laying around that get all jumbled together depending on what project you’re working on at the moment. Full Article

Cleaning Out Your Clothes Closets

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:32:34 +0000

Keeping your wardrobe up to date is easy if you start by sorting through all your unwanted clothing and donate it to charities. Full Article

Greeting Card Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:32:04 +0000

While making my weekly rounds of yard sales with my mom and daughter, I ran across the neatest little album that was sold by Hallmark many years ago–it is an organizer for greeting cards! Full Article

The Family Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:31:33 +0000

I’m forever looking for ways to get better organized. It’s even more of a challenge when you have a family to keep track of. The schedules, shopping lists, and tomorrow’s to-do’s are always being lost or shuffled from one place to another. Full Article

Homework Organizer

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:30:36 +0000

Do you ever get tired of picking up your children’s homework from all over the house? Full Article

Lighter Fluid: The Best Label and Scuff Mark Remover

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:11:10 +0000

The first time my husband saw me scrubbing the black heel marks off of our kitchen floor with a toothbrush, he said, “You know lighter fluid will take those marks right off.” And it did! No scrubbing at all, just a little lighter fluid poured on a paper towel, and the marks wiped right off. Full Article

10 Common Uses for Baking Soda

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:09:47 +0000

1) Make a paste of baking soda and water and rub on insect bites to relieve itching. Full Article

Division of Labor

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:09:14 +0000

Dividing up household chores is a great way to get everyday household tasks in less time and with less complaints. Full Article

To Clean or Not to Clean (Your Child’s Room)

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:08:47 +0000

Whether or not to help your child clean their room. It’s an age old dilemma. I still clearly remember my dad patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) explaining and demonstrating to me how to fold the sheet corners on my bed. I just didn’t understand how the way he learned to make his bed in the army had to do with me and how I made my bed. Why was he torturing me this way? Full Article

Daily Chore Charts

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:08:16 +0000

Our family’s cleaning and chore schedules have varied widely over
the years. In two short years we have gone from having one
teenager in the home to having two teenagers and two toddlers.
In the past I have tended to do much of the housework myself,
with help off and on from my teenage daughter. Our cleaning
schedule was very different then. We got away with vacuuming
once or twice a week and didn’t even do the dishes every day. Full Article

25 Uses for Mr. Clean Magic Erasers

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 07:07:44 +0000

Everyone is raving about Mr. Clean Magic Erasers. They are one
of the most useful creating tools created to date. Visitors to
my web site have shared their favorite uses for their “magic”
erasers. If you haven’t tried them yet, you better find out what
you’re missing! Full Article

A Gardener’s Diary

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:54:00 +0000

Have you ever thought about keeping a gardener’s diary to record what you plant and where you plant it? Keeping a diary will help you plan next year’s garden by recording which plants grew well and which ones didn’t. You can also note which colors do or don’t look good together, or which plants overwhelm one another. Keep a record of how long the sun shines in different areas of your yard so you can find plants that require the appropriate amount of sunlight. In our yard, the soil is not the same everywhere. We have made do by planting different kinds of plants in different types of soil. Full Article

How to Grow Rhubarb

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:53:09 +0000

I have always grown rhubarb in my garden. Sometimes we eat it
and sometimes we don’t, but I think I just enjoy admiring its big
green leaves and pretty red stalks. Full Article

Starting Vegetables Indoors from Seed

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:52:32 +0000

It’s a beautiful, chilly March day, and I’m dreaming about
planting my garden this spring. While it’s definitely still too
cold to plant my garden, with a little planning and preparation,
I can start my vegetable garden indoors to be ready to plant
outdoors as soon as the last frost passes. Full Article

Growing Bird’s Nest Spruce

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:51:26 +0000

The Bird’s Nest Spruce is one of the most common dwarf evergreen
shrubs. It is a member of the Norway Spruce (Picea abies)
family; its Latin name is ‘Nidiformis’. This attractive,
low-growing shrub gets its name from a depression in the center
that makes it look like a bird’s nest. Full Article

Growing Wisteria Vines

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:49:52 +0000

Growing up I thought lilacs were the most fragrant spring
flowers. It wasn’t until I moved into our current home that I
was introduced to the fragrant wisteria vine, now another spring
favorite! My wisteria vine is now in full bloom, and almost
nothing can compare to its large, fragrant purple flowers. Full Article

Create a Pond in a Container in Less Than an Hour

Rachel Paxton — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:42:33 +0000

Want a pond in your back yard but you don’t have the time or
money to create the pond of your dreams? With a few items from
your local landscaping nursery, you can create a pond in a
container on your patio in less than an hour. Full Article

Spring Cleaning â€“ Time to Tackle Your Closet

Susanne Myers — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 01:29:14 +0000

Spring is on it’s way and even though it may already be tempting to spend the day outside, take a few hours to clean out your closet. You’ll be glad you did when it is finally time to dig out those t-shirts and shorts. Full Article

The Keys to a Clean and Organized Car

Nicole Dean — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 23:52:16 +0000

When you look at your brand new car, you say to yourself, “I’m going to keep this one clean.” You mean it when you say it, but it hardly ever pans out that way. It doesn’t take long for a clean and organized car to go down the wrong road and end up a wreck. Full Article

Everything in Itâ€™s Place

Nicole Dean — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 16:58:36 +0000

Are there homeless items living in your home? If you’re like most families, you have countless bits and pieces lacking designated spaces, so the homeless items are left lying on the nearest shelf or countertop. After awhile all the little items without a home begin to accumulate, causing clutter and chaos in your household. Without a specific place for everything, your level of discomfort may increase because when you need one of these floating items you will not know exactly where to go to find it. Talk about stressful! Full Article