Only three people live in our house and yet we have a lot of dishes. Owning more dishes means more to wash and put away. Is a 12-piece place setting really necessary? What about all the entertaining platters and bowls? With a little work, and my step-by-step guide, you can downsize or better yet, rightsize dishes to serve the needs of your family on a day to day basis. Collections I’m embarrassed to admit we own three different types of dishes (everyday, china and Christmas). My husband loves our china so we use it often. But we reduced each set and agreed we won't keep the wedding or Christmas china forever. Neither of us wants our possessions to be a burden to our son. Dishes are a relatively easy place to start. The kitchen is the heartbeat of the home so keeping it clutter-free and organized saves time and money. With clean countertops and organized cabinets, it's also much easier to cook dinner and resist the urge to order takeout. Step-by-Step …
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7 Easy Ways to Get Organized for Back-to-School
Summer is coming to an end and many kids are already back to school. Articles fill your feed with items to buy for back-to-school." But what if you handled it differently this year and saved money? Families want to start the year off right. Organizing your school supplies can be a great way to signal the transition from summer to school. Just keep a few things in mind before you shop. Advertising Works Advertising works because billions of marketing dollars make it happen! Ads lure you into buying 64 brand new crayons and all those cute IKEA desks you had to have during the pandemic. Let's be real for a minute. June-scissors work in August, right? Crayons and pencils might be scattered but still create art, correct? Kids are productive in different spaces, so do NOT force them into a desk. (I learned this from a homework expert years ago.) Before the ads convince you to buy, take an inventory of your supplies and consider what you really …
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5 Reasons Why I Am Not a Good Minimalist
Apparently I’m not a very good minimalist. I was told, on more than one occasion, that my lifestyle is not minimalist. And yet my bio includes "minimalist' as the first descriptor. Plus, I share minimalist practices on my website and with clients. The concern comes from the size of my house, two cars, and a vacation home. So it got me thinking. Good Minimalists Who counts as a good minimalist? Maybe Colin Wright is a real minimalist. He carries all his belongings in a backpack. Or perhaps Joshua Fields Millburn? After all, he and Ryan Nicodemus started THE Minimalists. Joshua Becker must count since he documented his family's journey at Becoming Minimalist. But what I know from reading their work is that minimalism looks different for each and every one of us. Our families are different. So are our jobs, houses, and the areas where we live. We have individual passion projects and goals. These differences are unique to our minimalist journey and yet common ground …
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5 Effective Habits of Clutter-Free Families
Fighting clutter can feel like a losing battle. After all, there are 300,000 items in the average American home. But decluttering is more about habits than ones ability to "get organized." My first piece of advice for clutter-free living is to stop shopping. Stop the inflow. Consider a Shopping Moratorium for 30 days. Experimenting with less reveals how little we really need. Living with less also creates a peaceful sanctuary in our homes. A calm environment at the end of a workday and a place where our eyes can rest, clutter-free from distractions. If you'd like to "calm the chaos" in your home, start with these 5 habits. Flat Surfaces Flat surfaces attract clutter. And clutter attracts more clutter. The largest flat surface in your home is the floor. Don’t mistake it for storage! Only furniture belongs on the floor. Pick up trash when it falls. If you have hardwood floors keep a dust mop handy to do a quick sweep. Go through the mail outside by the recycling bin. Clean …
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Why a Disorganized Garage Costs Time and Money
I love a neat and organized garage. But in the US, 82% of homes have two-car garages or larger, but only 15% park the car inside. We use our garage as intended, to house and protect cars. Vehicles are typically worth more than anything stored in messy garages. Let's consider for a moment that our last car purchase, a used SUV, was valued at approximately $25K. This alone motivates me to keep our garage clutter-free but there are other benefits too. 3 Reasons to Clean and Organize Your Garage Curb Appeal - Spring is home buying and selling season. Extra cars and trash cans visible from the street ruin curb appeal and decrease property values. Do you have a neighbor selling their house? Help their sale and your property value by moving trash cans inside. And a late-night trip to the trash can in your pajamas is easier too! Protection from the Elements - In the mid-Atlantic, winters can be cold, rainy, and snowy. Cars parked inside are …
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How to Organize Your Pantry
I often hear that the pantry is the most disorganized spaces in your home. Am I right? Well, you can tackle it one shelf at a time! Since we simplified, I can empty and reset my pantry in 2 hours or less, including cleaning the shelves and updating labels. My pantry is a cabinet, not a walk-in space. I think that is a blessing. It might take you longer and you may need to tackle one shelf at a time. My Step-by-Step Approach for how to organize the pantry can be used over and over again until you've taken care of all the pantry food and contents. Give it a try this week! Remove everything from the cabinet or shelf Clean canisters, shelves, and containers Declutter expired items and poor quality ingredients Group items by category Vinegar/Oil Flour/Sugar Canned goods Snacks Pasta and Rice Repurpose extra food storage containers for organization Remove items from multi-pack plastic or trim boxes for easy access Granola bars …