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How to Prepare for Online Learning in the Fall

August 3, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 6 Comments

If you’re a parent with school-aged children, the question of the hour is about school in the fall. How will online learning be taught? When will it start? Should I homeschool? Our family weathered the storm of distance learning this spring, but I recognize that’s easier to do with an only child and a flexible work schedule. For many families, the spring was a nightmare. And now we're trying to start the year off right. I get it. But before you rush out and spend a bunch of money on new desks, homeschooling curriculum, and rearrange your house, I recommend taking a step back to “pause and plan.” You have time, I promise. Take a deep breath and read on. Step 1 - Enjoy Summer The school year will be here before you know it. For the sake of our children and their childhood that was turned upside down in March, let’s try to enjoy the last few weeks summer. Be present, in this moment, which we’ll never get back. Since I have 4 summers left before my one-and-only heads …

9 Easy Ways to Organize Your Home

April 9, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 1 Comment

I love to declutter and organize spaces but it doesn't happen overnight. Over the years, I've established practical habits to control clutter and organize our home. Here are nine easy ways to get started! Stop Shopping I really mean stop shopping. I know, it's easier said than done. But question your purchases before you make them or wait 24 hours to click order. Avoid stores that result in impulse buys and extra purchases. The bullseye store comes to mind. :) Before you buy, identify storage for new items. Where will it live? Do you have space to store it? Borrow, Repurpose, Reuse or Do Without Save time, build relationships and borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbor. Or maybe a weed whacker, power washer or crockpot. I love building community through borrowing. Several of my friends join me in saying "We own 8 folding chairs." and "We own a piano." If you cannot borrow an item, try waiting a few days to see if the need …

3 Simple Steps to Organize Remote Controls

March 30, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Take a look around your family room. Are the remote controls easy to locate? Or are they lost under a couch cushion? Remote controls also have a way of multiplying. We may get rid of an old DVD player but the remote remains. Let's declutter and organize this space today. Collect Aggregate all the remote controls from your family room. Check under the couch and inside drawers and cabinets. Address each one. If the remote operates a current device Replace the batteries. Use a label maker to provide additional information. (This can be helpful for guests and aging family members.) If the remote operates a disconnected device Remove the batteries If you own the device, tape the remote to it. Donate or Recycle unused electronics Storage Each night, I put the family room to bed before turning in myself. I fold blankets, return games to the cabinet, and stow remotes in a basket. Get in the habit of "putting to bed" the common spaces of your home …

9 Easy Ways to More Organized Spices

March 9, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Recently, I went through our spices. By this I mean, I removed them from the cabinet and asked the following questions about each one: What recipe calls for this spice? Approximately when did I purchase this spice? How much of this spice is measured for a typical recipe? Surprisingly, most of my spices support my everyday cooking. And I had very few containers older than 12 months. But when I considered the question about quantity, I found several mistakes as a result of bulk buying. I own large containers of cayenne, parsley, cumin, and minced onion. Although they are used in our cooking, the volume was excessive for the typical amount needed in a recipe. But my neighbor was delighted when I refilled a few of her spice containers. Pictured below are the rest of my spices and some easy ways to organize yours. 9 Easy Ways to Organize Remove from the cabinets. Designate one cabinet for spices. (We prefer near the stove.) Review each container and ask the …

3 Reasons Why Storage Bins Do Not Make You More Organized

March 6, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith 2 Comments

Baskets and bins will NOT make you more organized. In fact, they have the opposite effect. Here are three reasons why. #1 Bins Collect Clutter Over the years, I acquired a lot of things. And then I organized a lot of things. Finally, I stored all the things. At one point, I contributed heavily to this statistic, "The average American home has 300,000 items." Moreover, my weekends were spent purchasing, organizing and cleaning things. If storage bins had worked, I would have gotten organized very quickly. But my storage containers perpetuated the clutter. I had to get rid of the stuff in order to get organized. #2 Bins Hide Clutter Bins, boxes, and baskets are clutter attractors. Ever notice how hard it is to keep an empty basket sitting around the house? Once you start eliminating the baskets and bins, stuff can't hide. It forces hard decisions about, do I really need all this stuff? #3 Bins ARE Clutter Recently, I worked with a client who decluttered her entire house. She …

How to Store and Organize Small Appliances

March 2, 2020 by Amy Slenker-Smith Leave a Comment

Small appliances clutter a kitchen counter. By reducing dishes and pantry inventory, more appliances can live inside cabinets versus on the counter. Here are the kitchen appliances I eliminated. 2 Crockpots - (kept 1 medium size) Bread Maker Flour Sifter Espresso Maker Milk frother Deep fryer Coffee pot (replaced with French Press) Toaster Now, I love my empty kitchen counter. Empty counters clean up easily without obstacles. I don't need to clear a space to make dinner and there's a place to unload groceries. So, the goal of today’s challenge is to uncover your countertops and make working in the kitchen easier. Decluttering Appliances Make a list of the small appliances Note how often you use each sone Consider if they perform single tasks vs multiple jobs 90-day Rule Have I used it in the last 90 days? No - Donate Will I use it in the next 90 days? No - Donate Store all small appliances inside cabinets Give priority …

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