Spring Cleaning the Car

We had a glorious day yesterday - 70 degrees and sunny! We ate dinner outside and my husband spent some time sprucing up the flower gardens. For you who live in warmer climes, stop gloating!

Spring Cleaning the Car

With all the snow we get over the winter, we are continually tracking muck into our cars during that season. I'm so happy that spring is here, which means when we clean our cars they might stay that way for a while!

But our biggest struggle is clutter. I read recently that women are more guilty than men when it comes to car clutter. Whatever the case, it's easy for that clutter to collect! Here are a few ideas to tame that trend:

- I ask our girls to look around them when leaving the car and bring any trash they see. They do draw the line at other people's tissues, however!

- Something I don't do often enough: reminding the girls that if they bring something into the car, they need to take it back out as they leave. Even if they are eating something on the way to school, they need to take it into the school when they go. Finding two yogurt containers upside down in the cup holder is not pleasant!

- I'm not a good waiter. So I try to remember to use the time while stopped at a light, waiting for someone, etc. to pick up trash and clutter. When we travel, I try to remove trash each time I get out of the car for a break.

- When we get snacks while traveling, I ask for a bag which we can use for trash.

- If you have children who like to bring toys along in the car, limit them to one toy. Just make sure it's not a container with a jillion little toys inside!

- If you allow eating in the car, opt for dry snacks rather than gummy ones. They are much easier to clean up with a vacuum and less likely to get enmeshed in the carpeting or upholstery.

- Make sure drinks have lids, especially when stored in cup holders on the door. Slamming the door and an open drink is not a good combination!

- We ask our girls to use the sidewalk to go to the car, even though it's a bit longer than cutting across the grass. That greatly reduces grass, leaves, and other unwanted visitors.

What do you do to keep the clutter out of the car? If you receive this by email, use this link to comment.

Spring Cleaning the Walls and Windows

Happy St. Patrick's Day! I made breakfast burritos this morning and tinted the eggs green. Thankfully it didn't keep anyone from eating them! And when we mixed in salsa, it turned a pretty disgusting brown. :) All for making those memories!

I don't know about you, but I'm just not in the mood to do spring cleaning this year. Maybe because we have had tons of snow, rain and cold weather up until just this last week. But I'll do it in bite-size chunks...

Spring Cleaning the Walls and Windows

Not my favorite chore by a long shot!! Each week in the spring and summer that we have girls, we try to think of a cleaning or yard chore we can do for about an hour. It's nice to have help and it teaches them how to manage a home at the same time. So if you have kids, let them enjoy this home management instruction - I'm sure they will be forever grateful! :)

We're going to start a room at a time and clean the windows and walls. I use Mr. Clean Magic Sponges to clean the walls. All you need is a sponge and a container of water. I bought a bunch of dishpans which we use for this chore, spa day pedicures, and other various uses. We do clean them out between various activities!

So everyone has their own sponge and dishpan. All you do is wipe down the walls and rinse out the sponge. You don't have to rinse the walls afterwards. I don't know what Mr. Clean did to his sponge, but it IS magic!

While we have the furniture moved out, we may as well wash the windows at the same time. I'm not a big proponent of newpapers and vinegar as so many are - don't like having my hands and other things turn black! Just window cleaner and paper towels.

While the furniture is moved out, my husband usually gets motivated to vacuum those spots we don't often see. Bless him!

As you know, cleaning is one of my least favorite chores, but I sure enjoy the rewards of a clean house! And I can stand anything for an hour - so can our girls. :)

How do you manage spring cleaning? If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, click here.


More blogs about spring cleaning:

Clutter Statistics - Motivation for Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Vinegar

Spring Cleaning Using Household Items - Baking Soda

If spring cleaning or just regular cleaning puts you in overwhelm, Three Steps to Clever Cleaning minimizes the time you need to spend cleaning!

Coming Soon: Mom Audience

I am putting the last touches on a new venture I'm launching at the end of the month - Mom Audience. Mom Audience is a marketplace for moms - bringing together moms, mompreneurs, and businesses-that-cater-to-moms.

Mom Audience will be a weekly email where you can list (free of charge) your new products, blogs, websites, social networks, discounts/sales and lots more. There will also be opportunities to sponsor Mom Audience and place sidebar ads.

If you are interested in being notified of Mom Audience's launch, please make a comment below. Make sure you list your email address!

If you are interested in sponsoring or advertising, please email me at Bev@1-2-3getorganized.com.

Understanding the ADD Mindset

It's been a nice weekend - we've gone to the ballet, to a play of Cinderella, painted t-shirts, went for a walk, went to church, did some photography and cooking together, and saw Pink Panther 2. Is it any wonder that I love Mondays? :) On to our blog for today:

Understanding the ADD Mindset

If you live with or work with someone who has ADD, it may be helpful to understand the ADD mindset to give you more understanding and empathy. Here are some tips from Susan Lasky's article in NAPO News (National Association of Professional Organizers):

ADDers experience:

- "A tremendous amount of guilt and self-effacement ("Why can't I do stuff that is so simple?")

- Regret, shame and even grief ("That's another project I started but never finished.")

- Anger/depression from being criticized by others for so many years (often seen in those (my word) who can't follow the examples of their born-organized mothers)

- Unrealistic expectations having to do with their ability to complete tasks and the amount of time it will take."

Let us not add to their burdens by being impatient or critical!!

How do you encourage those around you who have ADD? If you receive this blog via email and you'd like to comment, use this link.


More blogs about ADD:

Helping Your ADHD Child Get Organized

More Tips for Helping Your ADD Child Stay Organized

ADHD Organization - Time and Energy

5 Meals for Under $50 - My Video Segments on WKYC Channel 3 News

As promised, here are the video segments from WKYC Channel 3 News in Cleveland featuring 5 Meals Under $50. I thought the Channel 3 staff were very generous with their promotion of my business and recipes!

I decided to replace the videos with links because the videos would automatically start playing when you opened my blog - annoying!

Hollie cooking dinner #5


My four video clips

You can find a link to the recipes, which come from my Hassle Free Dinners and Three Steps to Planning Dinner.

Air Times for "5 Under $50" Segments on Channel 3

Today I taped four 45-second segments promoting "5 Under $50" - a program about cooking economical meals sponsored by Channel 3 in Cleveland and www.Cleveland.MomsLikeMe.com. I selected the menus, cooked four of them, and the other one will be cooked live on the show. Most of the recipes came from my Hassle Free Dinners, a year's worth of dinner menus, instructions, and grocery lists.

One segment will be aired each 30 minutes from 5 to 7 am Thursday morning. I simply describe each meal and why it's interesting. You will be able to find the recipes at www.Cleveland.MomsLikeMe.com. I'll record the program, and if I'm not too dorky, I'll consider putting a segment or two here on the blog. :)

It was fascinating seeing Channel 3's beautiful headquarters overlooking Lake Erie. And I so enjoyed working with the gracious and encouraging Jacquie Chakirelis, co-host of Family Matters Radio and site manager for Cleveland Moms Like Me!

Thanks so much for your kind emails and comments!

If you're inspired to save money by planning meals and cooking at home, Three Steps to Planning Dinner is now available as an eworkbook in addition to being a printed workbook. Hassle Free Dinners is available as a CD or downloadable PDF.

I'm Going to Be On TV!

Channel 3 Morning News has asked me to come in to their studios on Wednesday to tape some segments that will air on Thursday morning during their 6 to 7 am slot. It is part of a program by Cleveland.MomsLikeMe.com called 5 Dinners for Under $50.

I have to take in four meals already prepared, several from my Hassle Free Dinners CD, and ingredients for another meal for someone else to cook. I imagine we'll talk about how economical it is to plan ahead and cook meals at home.

They said I would appear in 45-second segments a few times during the hour. It doesn't look like they have a live stream, so I guess only locals will be able to see it. I'll try to tape it and put it up on my blog if I don't embarrass myself. :)

MomsLikeMe.Com is all over the country - go there to find one near you.

Disposing of Unused Medication Responsibly

Lately I've been reading suggestions by several professional organizers on how to dispose of unused medications. If you flush them, they end up in our water. If you trash them, they end up in landfills even if they are diluted or crushed. Or they may be eaten by animals. Here are what I consider to be the top three choices:

1. Costco, CVS and other pharmacies will take your unused medications and dispose of them properly. Check with your local stores, though, because it seems to be a store-by-store choice.

2. Some police stations offer the same service. Again, check with your local station.

3. And my favorite: donate them to an organization who can use them third world countries. Even though this suggestion was brought up several times, I couldn't find such an organization when I searched.

Do you know an organization that takes donations of unused medications? If you receive this blog by email, please go to this link to comment.

A Dozen Tips for a Less-Stressed Wedding

Good morning! Hope you had a great weekend. Ours was busy with activities with the girls - painting t-shirts, painting wooden crafts, participating as slaves in a simulated underground railroad, a movie, church, homework, and nursing a sick one. I'm glad it's Monday so I can get some rest! :)

I wrote the following article for For Bride and Baby, a fabulous website to help you plan for your wedding or baby. If you can't use the tips for planning a wedding, feel free to pass them on to someone who might be able to use them. Add your own tips, as well! (My article appears on their blog.) It's a bit long ...


A Dozen Tips for Planning a Low-Stress Wedding

A wedding is a breeding ground for stress, one reason being that there are so many details to manage. There's not much you can do about Aunt Martha and Cousin Joe not wanting to speak to each other, but you can organize and manage details so there are as few surprises as possible.

There will always be those things that pop up at the last minute, but if you have done a good job of organizing, they are usually either out of your control or are minor. The following tips will help ease your mind as your plan your wedding:

1. Start early. As soon as you know you’re getting married, start planning. My daughter and I had almost a year to plan her wedding and we used it all! Her wedding was very large and we did much of it ourselves. If you don’t think you need that much time, it never hurts to be ahead of schedule, even if your wedding is intimate and simple.

Even if you’re not engaged yet, there are several things you can start looking at: wedding dresses, bridal party attire, invitations, etc. Don’t scare off your boyfriend, though, by jumping the gun!

2. Keep the communication lines open and healthy with your fiancé and your family during the wedding-planning process. Your relationships are more important than your ceremony. Your ceremony will take place on one day ... your relationships will continue for the rest of your life. Work on finding win-win solutions to problems and be open to their ideas.

You will spend the rest of your life finding solutions to problems. To help you perfect this skill, avail yourself of pre-marriage counseling. I highly recommend the Myers-Briggs personality type inventory. And make good choices, the most important one in my opinion: don't be selfish. It's impossible for a marriage to flourish if one or both partners are self-absorbed.

3. Determine your budget and the size of your wedding. Your budget will likely determine the size of your wedding. If your parents are paying for your wedding, get a clear picture of what they are willing to spend. You can decide to stick within that budget or contribute some yourself. Or you may be footing the entire bill yourself.

Whatever the case, I suggest living within your budget. Insisting on a lavish affair is not worth the stress that debt puts on your relationship with your parents and/or your fiancé and later on your marriage.

Do your homework as you estimate the cost of the various components of your wedding. Costs add up quickly, and being realistic about them avoids last minute sticker-shock and its ensuing stress. Overestimate your costs so that if things turns out to be higher than you anticipated, you have a little padding.

4. Get a wedding organization book and live by it! This wonderful tool provides checklists, timelines, and deadlines. It also supplies you with etiquette rules and other such valuable information. Remember, though, that just because something is suggested in your wedding organization book, if it’s not you, don’t do it! This is your wedding, and it should reflect you! If you can afford a wedding planner, she will do much of this for you.

5. Secure a venue for your wedding and reception. Some locations are booked a year or more in advance, so don’t procrastinate on this one if your location is a popular one! To avoid this hassle, some couples are deciding to marry on less typical days: Friday evening or Sunday afternoon, for example. By thinking outside the box, you may discover creative solutions to this search.

6. Decide on a wedding dress and wedding party attire. This may take a while, so give yourself enough time to find what you want. The internet makes this overwhelming task much easier! Look online to find styles you like and narrow down your search this way.

Give yourself enough time for altering, re-ordering correct sizes, etc. If you are having dresses made, allow adequate time for measuring, sewing, try-ons, and alterations. We had the bridesmaids’ dresses made by a friend. To cut costs, we used a 50% off coupon at Jo-Ann’s when we purchased the material.

7. Plan your wedding ceremony with your fiancé. Don’t just include everything you’ve seen in others’ wedding – make it meaningful to you. We actually attended a wedding ceremony that seemed like it included everything ever done in a wedding ceremony – it was eternal!!

Make your ceremony reflective of you! Sit down with the minister or person who is going to perform your wedding, and express your desires. Any wedding ceremony can be adapted to fit your values and wishes.

Our daughter and son-in-law have a very strong faith. Her engagement ring was a triangle. She and her fiance were represented by the bottom two corners, and God was represented by the top corner. They wanted their relationship to become closer as they became closer to God. The triangle shape reoccurred throughout the wedding and reception.

Our daughter didn’t want a wedding cake – she wanted cheesecake instead. We found already-sliced Cheesecake Factory cheesecake at Sam’s. They chose to eliminate the cake-cutting, obviously.

A friend of ours was into the two-step, so he and his groomsmen wore cowboy boots and it was a two-step reception. Another friend got married in his Chucks, his signature footwear! Don't be afraid to be different!

8. Keep a binder or file or box containing wedding paraphernalia – contracts with those providing services, sketches, ideas, final products, etc., so you can locate colors, samples, etc. at a moment’s notice.

9. Determine what help you need – both paid and volunteer. If you have friends who are willing to help with various aspects of your wedding, accept that help if you like their work. A friend might be able to design your invitation and/or program. Or help you address wedding invitations. Ask friends for recommendation for wedding cake bakers, caterers, etc. If people offer to help, consider saying yes!

10. Hire a wedding coordinator at least for your wedding day. Then you, your mom, your family, and your wedding party can enjoy the day and revel in your celebration. She can take care of those little details and make sure that everyone is where they need to be.

11. Prepare an emergency kit for those last minute snafus: safety pins, masking tape, cellophane tape, a stapler, bobby pins, hair spray, needle and thread, extra pantyhose, extra make-up, scissors, etc. Ask a friend to be on stand-by to run errands if necessary.

12. Relax and enjoy your day! Determine not to be stressed even if everything doesn’t go exactly as you planned. Someone may faint or goof up, but the important thing is that you're getting married!! Don't let small things spoil your celebration. And ... live happily ever after!

Any tips for reducing the stress of planning a wedding? If you receive this by email, use this link to comment.

Getting a Good Night's Sleep Despite Daylight Savings

Daylight Savings is a mixed blessing in the spring - we lose an hour of sleep, but it stays light longer. If you're like me, I look forward to December 21st each year because I know the days will start getting longer after that. Darkness at 4:30 pm is so claustrophobic!

With Daylight Savings coming this weekend, don't let your sleep suffer - even for an hour! I try to turn our clocks ahead early on Saturday evening so we are operating on the new time before we go to bed. That way we won't be fooled into losing an hour's sleep. Who cares, you say?

Sleep is one of the most important ingredients to functioning well. If anything suffers in my life, I try not to make it my sleep! I just can't function well without it. Sleep deprivation has adverse effects on our driving, blood pressure, heart, weight, decision-making, temper, and moods! So here are some tips for sleeping well:

1. Sleep in the quietest and least busy part of your house. If you sleep in a high-traffic area of your home, you'll be woken up by it.

2. Don't have computers or TVs in your bedroom. They produce "electromagnetic fields and positive ions that induce agitation," according to Dr. Mao.

3. Light keeps you awake, so start dimming the lights 30 minutes before bedtime and don't sleep with lights on. If you take melatonin, make sure all the lights are off when you take it to make it work faster. Use darkening shades/blinds or a mask.

4. Don't exercise for at least two hours before bedtime, as exercise is a stimulant. But do exercise. Exercise helps get rid of tensions and excess energy, and allows you to relax for sleep.

5. Try drinking some chamomile tea before bedtime - a natural sleep inducer.

6. Don't sleep with your pets. Their ups and downs during the night prevent a continuous night's sleep.

7. Keep pen and paper by your bed. If something pops into your mind, you can write it down so it doesn't impede your sleep. Or journal before bedtime as a way to process your day, rather than when you lie down to sleep.

8. Listen to your body - if you are tired and sleepy, go to bed if at all possible! Your body keeps track of the sleep you have lost and you may need to catch up.

9. Have a regular waking time. When you have a regular routine, your body will tell you when it needs sleep. Each person is different. I need about 6 1/2 to 7 hours of sleep each night while my husband functions best on 9.

10. If you are sleep deprived, take a nap. You can tell you are sleep deprived if you tend to fall asleep when you are sitting quietly.

How do you insure a good night's sleep for yourself, your family? If you receive this blog via email and would like to comment, use this link.


Additional blogs on sleep:

Sleep is Non-negotiable!

Insuring Peak Performance: Sleep 101

Organizing Laundry

It's so nice to be home! We loved being with Sara and visiting with friends and family, but we're happy to be home.

I was greeted by a fun phone message upon our arrival. Channel 3 News in Cleveland wants me to be on their morning news show to talk about meal prep. I believe it's next Thursday, March 12, but I'll keep you posted as I find out more details!

It is connected with Cleveland Moms Like Me. Go to www.MomsLikeMe.com to find one near you!

But in the meantime, back to real life ... laundry (mounds of it!).

Organizing Laundry

For years we have organized our laundry by sorting it as we take it off. When we lived in Maryland, I bought four plastic laundry bag holders to hold darks, lights, whites, and towels. Bob and I would drop our clothes in the appropriate bag and when a bag was full, we'd remove the bag and take it downstairs to the washing machine.

The plastic laundry bag holders were a little flimsy and Bob ended up gluing them together, as they would come apart frequently. You could even color code the laundry bags if you wish.

These days our laundry room is next to our bedroom, so we decided to use regular tall laundry hampers for sorting, since we don't have to move them anywhere. It sure is nice not to have clothes all spread out on the floor as you sort!

You could have a set of hampers/bags in a central location or a set in each person's room. They do take up a bit of room, but it makes laundry so much easier in my opinion!

What do you do to make laundry easier? If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, use this link.


More blogs on similar topics:

Laundry tip - color-coded laundry bags

Decluttering in 5 - 20 Decluttering Tasks You Can Do In Five Minutes or Less

Restorative Moments and Margins

We are heading home as I write. We drove to Maryland on Friday and met our daughter Sara there. Over the weekend we visited with friends. On Sunday afternoon we headed up to Pennsylvania to visit with Bob parents and more friends, just missing the snow storm. Yesterday we drove Sara from Pennsylvania to Indiana where she’ll stay for most of her remaining time in the States.

So today we woke up tired! We chose to return to Ohio on a road we’ve never tried before. Instead of driving on a two-lane road for a while and I-70 through Columbus, we opted for US 30, a four-lane road from middle Indiana to middle Ohio. Even though it seemed a bit out of the way, it will take us about the same time.

The restorative part is that there is very little traffic and it goes through wide open spaces. It has been so nice just to drive through farmland and not have to weave in and out of a bunch of trucks.

Even though the scenery is pretty brown, it’s nature all the same. Nature has such restorative powers. When we lived in Maryland during a more stressful time in our lives, we would escape frequently to what we called our own private lake. It was a rather secluded little park where we could put our blankets down, play games, have dinner, sleep, read books - whatever we felt like doing at the moment. Just one hour at our lake had unbelievable restorative powers - even for our children!

We’ll arrive home in the early afternoon and receive a house of girls on Friday. Whenever we travel, we try to build in margins so as to allow ourselves some recovery time between one event and another. I’ve found that by allowing some room for margins creates less chaos and clutter. I want to be efficient, but I don’t want to pack things so tightly that I have no time to transition. The same is true for less time-consuming events as well.

Have you discovered some places that provide you with restorative moments? What about margins - do you give yourself ample margins to create some breathing room between events? If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, use this link.

Organizing "Messy" Toys

I saw a clever idea on Happy Mama's blog the other day. She stores her kids' "messy" toys (those that have a jillion pieces) in clear plastic tubs in the top of her child's closet. Then her child created a catalog of each tub - a laminated picture of each category held together by an o-ring. You could also label or put pictures on each container as well.

The best part - her child must have all other toys put away before being allowed to get out a "messy" toy container. Because they are stored in the top of the closet, her child must have help to get them down, so mom can inspect. Obviously, as the child gets older, "messy" toys can be put at a reachable level.

I think this system would work with our toys, too - craft items, collections, etc.

Wasn't that a clever idea? If you receive this blog by email and would like to comment, this link will take you to my blog.


Blogs on similar topics:

Get Organized Month 2009 - Family Five Minute Challenge,

Downsizing Toys before Christmas,

The Ultimate in Toy Decluttering!!

Need some help organizing your child's room? Three simple steps: Three Steps to Organizing Your Child's Room.

The Latest in Organizing - Home Parties

Want to spend a fun evening with your friends and get your closet organized at the same time? Host an Organizing Home Party!

Your friends pay a minimal fee ($20 or so), there are games, giveaways, and your favorite professional organizer demonstrates how to organize a closet, pantry, or other small area. It's a couple of hours of fun with your friends plus you all walk away with some new skills and motivation!

Your organizer will meet with you ahead of time to plan out the evening and look over the area to be organized. You may even go through a practice decluttering process ahead of time.

You can find a professional organizer near you at Faithful Organizers (Christian organizers) or The National Association of Professional Organizers.

Does an Organizing Home Party sound interesting to you? If you receive this blog via email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.

Corrected Link for Bags on the Run

Sorry - I messed up the link for Bags on the Run. I have corrected yesterday's blog or you can use the link above.