Broken, but not impossible!

Have you ever heard of a remedy for something that made you go huh?  Well, here's one that has been tried and worked!

A broken light bulb still in the socket - how do you get it out?  Easy - get a potato!  Yep you read that right.  Cut the potato in half and, with the light switch turned in the off position, carefully push the potato over the socket and with a little push - twist.  It might take a little effort, but it twists (not pulls) right out making room for a new bulb!

While I believe my sister may have thought I might be going mad when I told her what she needed to do, she realized that sometimes big sister has a trick or two up my sleeve!  Here's a picture of the potato when the procedure was finished.

I think it should go without saying that this potato should go directly to the garbage, but just in case... please don't eat the potato!

What off the wall household fixes have you tried and found to work?

Making it Cozy

If you live in a climate that turns cold during this time of year, it be a challenge give your home a cozier look for these icy morning temps.  Here are a few ideas to give your space that warm look and feel that won't break the bank!


Include a nice warm throw to the sofa or chair in your living room.  There are knit throws, faux fur throws and everything in between to encourage wrapping up and settling in on a cold day.  One of my favorites is this faux mohair throw fro Pottery Barn (no I'm not paid to like it!), it comes in some wonderful neutral colors and can even be monogramed if that's your thing.!

Add more candles to your space... on the mantel, in the kitchen, on your desk or in the bedroom, adding candles give a warm glow and add a little actual warmth in addition to the visual warmth!  Even a battery operated candle an give a nice glow to a space without the chance of forgetting to blow them out!

 Build a fire!  If you have a fireplace, even one that doesn't put out physical heat, it will cozy up the room in no time!

Dimmers on the lights!  More expensive as the ones above, but an investment that is well worth it if it's in your budget!  Make sure you hire someone who knows what they are doing and have a nice warm glow in your space all winter long!

How do you give your space a warm look for the cold weather?

Putting away the Holidays

Since we're starting the year off  talking organization and we are 4 days into the new year, if you haven't already put away your decorations, this might be the right weekend to tackle that job!

Tips for storing these items:

1) Create storage boxes by type, such as living room tree, family room tree, kitchen decorations, banister, mantel, extra lights, exterior, etc.  Then only put things in that box that go into that area.

2) Then clearly mark the boxes so that you know what's in that box.

3) Put them in their storage area - just moving them to the hallway or garage creates more work for later and does not complete the job.

4) Vacuum and clean the areas you couldn't get to easily because of the decorations and put back any items that you put away for the season.

Here's a great example of boxes ready to be put away.... these are very festive, but when possible, choose clear bins so that you can see what's inside without having to empty the container.

Now you are ready to start the new year, and everything is ready for easy access in 11 months time!

Top 7 Organizational tips for 2014!

It's a new year... 2013 is gone and 2014 has begun.   What are your resolutions or goals?  Setting goals or making resolutions come in all forms and the number one topic I am asked about is getting organized.  Here are my top 7 recommendations for getting organized.

1) Start Small!  Begin in one area and make that a habit before moving onto another area.  Work from home?  Start in your office and make that area work before moving to the playroom or garage.

2) Create a system that works for your work style.  Are you a filer or a pile-r?  Whichever one you are, go that direction.... if you are a pile-r, you will never use that expensive file system box no matter how cute it is.  Try using file bins so that you can keep your pile neat, desk clutter free and best of all, off the floor!  If you work well with the file folders, by all means pick up a stylish file system and put it to work.  Keeping it simple!

3) Don't purchase organization bins or systems until you have sorted and know what you need.  By doing the sorting first, you know the size and number you need before heading to the store... and who knows, you might just have something that will work in your home without needed to make a purchase.

4) When deciding what to keep, make sure that you really need it.  In the kitchen, do you really need 5 spatulas and 3 can openers or can you get by with just one or two?  In the office, do you have that same resource on the computer?  Then toss the catalog.  If you have an online copy of a document, make sure you have an electronic back up and put the paper in the recycle.!

5) If possible, enlist the help of a friend or professional!  Someone that is less emotionally tied to an object or can ask the right questions about that piece of paper can help you look at things in a new way and make the sorting process go much quicker!

6) When sorting, go quickly - have 3 boxes, "keep", "toss" and "donate".  Set a timer and move quickly and if something causes you to pause, set it aside and come back to it.  Once the timer goes off, you should be done, take a break and come back to tackle the next box or section of the room.

7)  Take care of the boxes right away.   At the end of the day, put the "keep" things in their new home, the "toss" items in the garbage and the "donate" things in the car so that you can take them directly to the Salvation Army, Goodwill or another charity.  Do not just move them to the garage making yet another big project!  Remember, keep it small!

Is organization on your resolution list?  Where will you get started?