 Source: Martha Stewart |
Here’s a mending must-have: A simple business-card organizer (from an office-supply store) that keeps all the fixings for your clothes in one place. Label and tuck your spare buttons, thread samples, cloth tags, and even those scratchy fabric-care labels you snip off garments (or pillows and blankets) into the compartments. It will be a snap to find them later. |
Photo Source: jaymiek
Check out this month’s newsletter…
· feature: spring organizing
· extras: blog highlights, organizing parties, downloads
· bonus: [ real neat ] ideas : 35 home organizing tips
I so love this post by fellow professional organizer, Megan Spears, founder of Disorder2Order!
Here’s a little taste…
Photo Source: misstrixie
I like to think that there is good in the ordinary. If look at this picture for example… it’s just a rock on the beach, right? If you look a little closer you might see an elephant drinking from the ocean.
Seeing potential in things that are ordinary is one of the best parts of my job. I see things that others don’t (or can’t) in themselves or their cluttered spaces. The interesting thing is that when I started my business, I had no idea that was going to be so important.
When I started my business it was scary. Really, what did I know about running a business? Was I really going to be able to make money? How was I going to balance babies and a business?
There were moments in that first year that I truly thought I had lost my mind. Now, six years later I am so thankful for my decisions and the obstacles that I have overcome. Not only do I have the best job in the world but I make a difference, and that makes me feel good.
Photo Source: Will Lion
This whole semi-new “single-mom-trying-to-turn-her-lifelong-passion-into-a-viable-full-time-business-and-pinch-pennies-at-the-same-time” thing is definitely something that I could do without! But, as one of my good friends always says, “It is what it is…” (and it has been quite an adjustment, that’s for sure!)
How interesting (…major understatement…) it has been to be forced to choose which of life’s necessities should be paid for this month. Until now, I never fully realized just how many things I have always taken for granted…
Anyway, in light of these unplanned changes in my life and family and home over the past year-and-a-half, I now meticulously scrutinize every single expenditure like I never have before. And, I have come to realize that, aside from the love of family and friends, what Amanda and I truly need boils down to this: car, apartment, electricity, water, medications, and groceries. So, that’s where the money goes right now… absolute necessities only!
Sure, all the “no’s” that Amanda gets from me are tough (on both of us!), but I have no doubt that the time and attention and love that I am investing in my daughter today will reap far greater rewards in the years to come!
So, what about you? Are there things in your life that you could do without? I challenge you to take a moment today to reflect on the true essentials in your life, and I dare you to let go of the rest!
This past week was Spring Break for Scott County Schools here in Georgetown… and I found myself with quite a challenge on my hands in keeping up with Amanda! Though a bit reserved in large groups, she is very much a “people person” and loves to have one or two friends (or mommy) to play with her. Whether it was a good idea or not—along with all the art projects, playground adventures, and random errands—I planned to take a bit of time to tackle the growing pile of “to shred” documents… and this was the end result…
Now, I’m sure you’re thinking “OMG!!” much like I was at the very moment that the first bag of all my hard work was completely dumped out onto the living room floor! But, here’s the thing… It is so very important for us to set aside our pragmatic “grown-up” thought patterns every once in a while and allow our children some freedom to play and explore the vast number of possibilities that abound within their limitless imaginations! Play is a child’s work after all…
So, practicality and cleanliness aside, Amanda spent the week playing with shredded paper bits (aka “confetti”) that ended up strewn throughout my apartment, in every nook and cranny imaginable (i.e., the toilet… really?)! She had a blast!
She made “confetti castles” (which, in case you didn’t know, are much like sand castles… only different!), she created walking paths that went from one room to the next, she raked every last shred into middle of the living room and jumped into her homemade “pile of leaves,” she “buried” every single friend who came over for a playdate, she made new fashions… and hairstyles… and draperies… and nests, and we went on countless “treasure hunts” and “rescue missions” together!
Sure there was paper everywhere and I’ll likely be finding little pieces here and there over the next few months… Sure we spent the week sniffling and sneezing with all the extra shredded paper dust flying through the air… Sure I have to vacuum the floors again and empty out the drawers that were stuffed full of paper… Sure I was embarrassed each and every time an adult stopped by the apartment to drop something off or pick something up… But, man, it was so very worth it! Definitely a small price to pay for all the wonderful memories that were created this week… and an absolutely, positivity, without-a-doubt exquisite treasure to hold close to the heart and cherish forever after having endured a horrid bout of postpartum depression through her early years!
Now, what about you? Have you found yourself abhorring or even thwarting your child’s messy learning adventures? How so? Or, have you managed to “let go” on occasion and have some truly uninhibited and invariably harmless fun? Do tell…
