Gaining Storage without Losing Floor Space

Happy Monday! We had a three-day weekend, as Friday was a snow day. We've had significant snow cover for a while with another inch or two expected today. Can't remember the last time the temp was above freezing! This global warming is really a problem, isn't it? LOL!

Now to our topic - getting some free storage:

If you don't have floor space for shelves or storage units, create shelves in your walls! Just open up any wall between studs, and fit with shelves - free storage! This is a wonderful option for tiny bathrooms with little storage, for insets to display collections, to house little spice containers in the kitchen, and much more. An article by Betsy Rice Webb describes how to create recessed shelves and what to look for before you cut into your walls.

You can also nail 2" x 4" boards to studs in your garage to provide storage for small items. Insert pipe between the studs to provide hanging space.

More on storage:
This is What I Call Using Wall Space!
Closet Mapping
Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

Lemons - Inexpesive, Natural Cleaners

No need to spend extra money on expensive cleaners when you probably have an economical and natural alternative in your fridge! Here are some lemon tips from Mary Ellis, Ladera Ranch, CA:

"Lemon is an inexpensive, natural cleaner.

First, I microwave half of the fruit for two minutes to loosen the juice,which easily removes cooked-on food from pots and pans.

Next, I dip the other half in salt and use it to shine brass items.

Lastly, I stick both halves into my garbage disposal. It sharpens the blades and freshens the disposal with a citrus scent." (source: June 2009 Family Circle Magazine, p. 101)

Do you have some lemon tips you'd like to pass on to us?

More on lemons:
Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Lemons
Summertime Tips
Three Steps to Clever Cleaning

How Sleep Helps Keep Your Brain Organized

Now that the holidays are over, it feels good to get some order in life again, doesn't it? Sleep somehow gets neglected. When our daughter was here over Christmas, our primary talking time with her was after our foster daughters went to sleep at ten. Usually sleep is non-negotiable for me, and I'm usually an early-to-bed-early-to-rise person.

You may have had similar priorities. But, unfortunately, our bodies keep track of the sleep we've missed and we need to make up for it. Sleep and the Brain is an article that describes the importance of scheduling enough sleep. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

"Sleep is actually a very important function of and for the brain. We need to generate enough sleep to feel rested, to have energy, to assist with mood, and to even help us think more clearly.

Sleep is divided into four stages. Deep sleep or stage IV sleep is critical to brain function. With advanced age we generate less deep IV sleep and it is probably not a coincidence that our cognitive abilities change as well.

Rapid Eye Movement (REM) is the part of sleep when we dream and we are actually paralyzed. REM occupies about 25% of our sleep and is critical for encoding information to a deeper level. Our brain processes millions of bits of information daily and during REM it is thought the brain selects those bits of information that are most critical.

Debate on how much sleep is necessary continues, but it is probably safe to say that young children need at least 8 hours of sleep a day while adults should get more than 6. Certainly, these numbers are not fixed and there are cases where some do fine with only a few hours while others do not. The bottom line is that our brains need sleep, deep sleep, and REM to function efficiently."

More on sleep:

Getting Organized for School (and life!) - Getting Enough Sleep

Insuring Peak Performance: Sleep 101

Sleep is Non-negotiable!

Affordable Stress Relievers

Feeling stressed after the holidays? Nina Kim and Georgia Price wrote this great article called 22 Affordable Ways to De-Stress. My favorite: do something you did as a kid. Enjoy!

More on stress relief:
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Change Your Attitude
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Taking a Mental Break
5-Minute Stress Relievers - Spiritual Refocusing

Declutter Your Household Items and Help a Neighbor

As you declutter during Get Organized Month (January), donate your used furniture, houseware items and bedding. Summit County Ohio residents can call CORE (Community Outreach Resources Exchange) to arrange for free pickup by calling 330-379-3188. CORE is a used furniture bank sponsored by several Summit County area churches, businesses, and individuals.

CORE serves more than 700 neighbors in need annually, providing them with more than 3500 used furniture items including beds, dressers, sofas, chairs, dinette sets, microwave ovens and houseware items. For more info go to CORE.

Do you have a similar location in your area? Let us know about it!


More on Recycling:
Recycling Cell Phones to Our Soldiers
Decluttering Your Books with BookMooch
Get Organized Month 2009 - Decluttering Your Electronics
More Eco-Friendly Recycling
Getting Rid of Stuff While Saving the Environment

Clever Tub/Shower Storage

Happy New Year! I hope 2010 has gotten off to a good start for you. I must say, I'm glad that school started today. J Don't tell anyone, though! Now on to our blog for today:

Here's a clever solution for tub or shower storage from Better Homes and Gardens: Use a metal rod originally designed for kitchen utensils! I've seen them at IKEA.

More on bathroom storage:

Finding More Bathroom Storage without Expanding Your Bathroom

Get Organizing Month - Decluttering Your Bathroom Storage

Clever Corner Storage

Candle Wax Clean-Up

Candles sure are pretty, but sometimes they leave their drippings behind. Here is a suggestion for removing melted candle wax from wood surfaces:

"Heat the wax with a blow-dryer set on high. While applying the hot air, wedge a credit card, plastic putty knife or something with a flexible, straight edge under the drips." (source: Family Circle Magazine, January 10, 2010, p. 33)

More on Cleaning:
10 Eco-Friendly and Wallet-Friendly uses for Olive Oil
A Dozen Helpful Hints to Simplify Your Life
Saving Time by Cutting Out Craft Clean Up

Decluttering Christmas Tree Sap from Your Carpet

If your Christmas tree has left gifts of sap under the tree, here's how to get rid of it:

Mix glycerin, a moisturizer and lubricant (available at drug stores) and warm water in equal parts. Drizzle the mixture on the affected areas. Give the mixture time to dissolve the sap. Using a dry cloth, pull up on the carpet fibers. Use a commercial carpet spot cleaner to remove any remaining residue.

More on cleaning:
Easy microwave cleaning
Clever Cleaning: Lamp Shades
Three Steps to Clever Cleaning

Organizing Your Christmas Wrapping Supplies

As I'm writing, big fluffy flakes are falling outside my window. We now have 6-8 inches of snow from the last couple of days. So beautiful, pure, quiet and cleansing!

A couple of days ago I organized my wrapping supplies. I made quite a mess in the process. But now I'm ready for next year!

I devoted one container to tissue paper, one to bags, one to boxes and containers other than bags, one to wrapping paper, one to gift tags, and one to ribbons. The containers are different sizes depending on the need.

I even divided my bags into those I love and those I don't. Some have sentimental value and we have used them for years. I would hate to see those leave the house. So I separated my bags accordingly.

Before I put my containers away for the year (I'm still finding a few straggling pieces of paper, etc.), I'll label the containers.

It's a big job, but fulfilling once it's done!

Buy One Get One Free at 1-2-3...Get Organized

In honor of Get Organized Month in January, we're offering a BOGO sale from now through January 31, 2010. Organize your time, priorities, parties, meals, cleaning, house or office! When you buy one product, you can get one of equal or lesser value - free. Just write in your free choice on the comment section of the shopping cart. And remember, shipping is free over $25!

Merry Christmas!

I wish you a joyous Christmas! We will have two of our three foster daughters here as well as one of our own daughters.

We have tried to combine traditions and wishes of all to create a Christmas of fun memories. We may go to a Christmas Eve service and the girls want to bake a birthday cake for Jesus. We've all been busy making gifts, baking, going to parties, and watching Christmas movies. :)

One of our girls is on a visit with her family, so she opened the gifts she knew about early. The girls wanted to pick out most of their gifts, but we reserved some money for surprises. Since the surprise gifts are similar, we asked the girl going home to wait to open the rest until she returns.

People have been so generous to the girls - an anonymous gift from someone in our church gave us more money to spend on the girls. (We get some money from our organization to spend on the girls and we add some of our own.) Some gift cards were donated by other people as well. The girls don't know about these yet. :)

Our daughter Sara arrived on Monday and has added to the fun. Even though we won't have our other daughter Comfort here, we hope to connect with her and her husband sometime in the spring.

We'll have turkey and trimmings on Christmas Eve and honey-baked ham for Christmas day. The girls requested a big breakfast on Christmas - not my style, but it's not about me, is it? Everyone has offered to help so I don't have to spend all of Christmas in the kitchen! My husband Bob will read the Christmas story. And then the presents!

Sara wants to do some after Christmas shopping on the 26th, so she and I will have some mom and daughter time. She hasn't gotten to do this for several years since she has been living in Kazakhstan. And I'm sure the girls will have their gift cards burning holes in their pockets!

I'm so blessed! Blessings to you!!

Bev

Repurposing Your Christmas Cards into a Year-Round Memory

Hate to throw away those picture Christmas cards or encouraging notes, but don't want to add clutter to your home? Adhere them to a large piece of paper collage-style, laminate and you've got a placemat that will bring you smiles throughout the year!

More on Christmas cards:
Buried by Holiday Mail?
Get Oranized Month 2009 - Update Your Addresses

Linear Storage

Here's an idea from Better Homes and Gardens to increase storage. If you don't have floor space for additional storage units, use your wall space! "This modern shelf offers ample storage. Oversize baskets maximize the amount of stuff each shelf can hold. For a symmetrical look, top each shelf with identical storage boxes or baskets."

More on clever storage:

Clever Corner Storage

Magnetic Paint - An Innovative Space Saver!

This is What I Call Using Wall Space!

Handy Tips to Simplify Your Life

A friend sent the following tips, and I thought I'd pass them along. They look interesting, but I haven't tried them.
Let me know if they work for you.

Reducing Static Cling - Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress.
Same thing works with slacks that cling. Place pin in seam of slacks and...ta da!...  Static is gone.

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog,
rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Re-opening envelopes - If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just
place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Viola! It unseals easily.

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really
smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.


More handy tips:
Fun Food Tips
More cooking tips

Some Christmas Humor

Here's a Christmas laugh for you that my brother forwarded to me from an anonymous person:

"Good news is that I truly out did myself this year with my Christmas decorations. The bad news is that I had to take him down after 2 days. I had more people come screaming up to my house than ever. Great stories. But two things made me take it down.

First, the cops advised me that it would cause traffic accidents as they almost wrecked when they drove by.

Second, a 55 year old lady grabbed the 75 pound ladder almost killed herself putting it against my house and didn't realize it was fake until she climbed to the top (she was not happy). By the way, she was one of many people who attempted to do that. My yard couldn't take it either. I have more than a few tire tracks where people literally drove up my yard."