Some Time Away

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It finally happened...

He really did it.

My hubby actually took a full week of vacation.

And I soaked in every minute of sunshine, clouds, rain, and whatever else was going to come our way.  I actually got nine uninterrupted days (well other than the occasional phone call or 100+ emails) of relaxing, fun time with my awesome husband.

We watched sunrises and sunsets.  We drank lots of coffee and maybe an adult beverage here or there.  We spent time at the pool and walks on the beach (one of my most favorite things).

One early evening we even enjoyed a double rainbow.  By the time I raced back up to the room to grab my camera, one of the rainbows had already disappeared and this was what I was able to capture of the other one.

However, here's what was waiting for me on the bayside of the condo.

I'm always struck by the Lord's beauty that envelopes me when I am at the beach.

I was standing out on the balcony taking these pictures when a man, named Charlie introduced himself to us as our neighbor.  He actually lives in the condo next door to where we were staying.

I kinda chuckled inside when he said "neighbor" and thought, "no, Charlie, I'm not so lucky that I would be living here as a permanent resident."  And then, after talking with Charlie for a little while,  I realized he was alone.  He never told me if he was divorced or widowed, but it was clear that he was alone.

After my husband and I went back inside we talked for a bit about Charlie being able to enjoy the beauty of the beach everyday.  And then we both got quiet for a short while.  I'm not sure what Calvin (the hubbs) was thinking, but for me...

I was thinking about how lucky I am to have Calvin, and all of my family in my life.

I was thinking about how lucky I am to not be alone.

It was another one of those moments where I paused and thanked God for blessing me with a great husband, children and family.

Happy Friday and Happy Labor Day Weekend!

More Closet Organizing Tips

As August begins to wind it's way down you should be well into your master closet makeovers.

Some of you may already be finished...give yourself a big Woo hoo!

For those of you who aren't finished, here are a few more tips that might help you get there. 

I've also included a couple of tips to keeping your closets organized!

Tip #1

Try to use clear containers if you are going to be storing items in your closet that you use.  If you don't see it - chances are you aren't going to use it.  I really like these all-access containers from Rubbermaid that store things nicely and are stackable.

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Tip #2

Maximize the space that you have in your closet.  I recently organized a closet for a male client who had a very large collection of baseball caps.  With most of his space on the shelves already being utilized, I noticed that he had a lot of wall space available.  By using Command Hooks, I was able to hang his hats on a wall that made them easily accessible and he was able to see all of his options.  His wife was pretty happy as well because she was tired of seeing the same hat on his head all of the time.  If you are wanting to do it cheaper than the cost of the hooks, you could use small nails if you don't mind the tiny holes in the wall.

Tip #3

If you find that you have trouble getting yourself ready and out the door on time, consider designating a section in you closet for a week's worth of clothes.  You can diy or purchase labels for each day of the week.

Here are some from The Container Store that are under $10 for a package of 12 (you could split with the hubby or a roomie).

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Tip #4

Place your hangers back on the rod where you pulled the article of clothing.  When you do your laundry, place the clothing items on extra hangers and then as you are rehanging in your closet it will be easy for you to see where that item needs to be placed back on the rod.  When you are finished hanging your items back into the closet, then you can remove the empty hangers and take them to the laundry room.

Tip #5

Make everything have a place.  Lots of times things get out of order because something hasn't been given a designated spot.  When you are deciding on the best spot for the item, make it one that makes sense.  In other words, don't put shoes that you wear regularly on the top shelf or hats and scarves in the bottom of a big basket under three blankets (well, I got a little carried away, but you would be surprised at what I see sometimes).

Be consistent.  I know you've heard the saying "21 days to form a habit".  Well, this would be one of those habits you really want to form.  If you have spent the time to get your closets organized and looking pretty, why not take an extra few seconds on the front end to put things where they go.  It will save you so much time and headache overall.

Can't wait to see your masterpieces!

Happy Organizing!!

Kim

Complete the Look

Does your closet get over taken by those fun items that can make a simple blouse and pair of slacks become a stylish outfit good enough to be on the cover of your favorite style magazine?

I mean...

that's how it makes ME feel when I accessorize.  And that's what really matters, right?

I actually heard on a morning news show recently that most people have a HUGE misconception about how much other people are looking at them and judging how they look.

That's a good thing because there's so much more to us underneath all those fun accessories.

But...they are fun....and it's great to be able to put our fingers on them when we want them...so let's get busy and organize them.

 Jewelry

There are a lot of different options for storing & organizing jewelry, from elaborate wooden cases to ice cube trays and everything in between.  When deciding on how you want to organize your jewelry, think about a few things:

How do you want to organize?

By category - Earrings/Bracelets/Necklaces

By season - Fall/Winter vs Spring/Summer

By color - Silver/Gold/White/Black/etc.

You may want to keep your "go to" items in a separate spot all together.


Last year I purchased these inexpensive craft storage containers for all of my costume earrings, necklaces and rings.

I have several of them for different categories like gold necklaces, silver, Brighton, etc. and they have kept my jewelry very organized. 

Where do you want to keep your organized jewelry?

Closet/Bathroom/Bedroom

Before making a decision to purchase something to use for storing and organizing your jewelry, you should know the answers to the above questions.  A little more time on the front end saves money and time on the back end. 

Scarves/Belts

This is an accessory that has really become popular year round (even here in the south).  Chances are your inventory of scarves is booming these days!

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Again, you will want to ask yourself some questions that will help you determine your needs.

Are there any scarves I haven't worn in over a year?

If you answered yes, you should consider getting rid of them.

How do I want to organize my scarves?  

By weight of fabric vs color

Hanging vs folding 

How often do you wear scarves?

Weekly/Monthly/Seasonal

Frequency may be a factor in determining accessibility

This is a really popular way of organizing scarves that I found on Pinterest.  Doesn't seem like it would cost too much if you don't already have some extra shower curtain rings and a sturdy hanger!

Belts could be hung on those rings as well.  Or you may want to hang them from decorative hooks.

Shoes

First things first on the shoes....PURGE!  Take all of your shoes out of the closet and put them in categories.

Heels/Flats/Sandals/Tennis/Boots/etc.

I know...it's really hard to let go of those favorite black pumps that you finally molded just right to your feet....but let's get real with ourselves and take a good hard look at them.

Do they just need a good polishing up?

Are they missing caps on the heels?

       ..........You know the sound, right?  It's like a loud siren going off each time you take another step.

"ALERT! ALERT!"  Girl in the office missing a heel cap!!

You know who you are out there!  Get busy checking those shoes and letting go of the ones that are beyond repair.

Now that you have weeded out the bad ones, you may want to take it a step further and determine if you have any that are very similar that you could let go of one of the pairs.  (Does it feel like you are getting teeth pulled right about now?)  

Once you have dwindled down your shoe inventory you are ready to evaluate the best way to keep them in your closet.

There are a lot of different options for shoe storage. 

Shoe boxes

Love this idea from bergdorf princess for wasted space under a stairway 

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If your weekend weather is predicted to be anything like mine - rain, rain and more rain....this could be the perfect weekend to attack those accessories.

And even if you have a few less "fun" accessories - you will still have the Complete Look inside & out!

Happy Organizing!

Kim

Keeping it in the Family

My daughter, Kelly and her husband, Brad celebrated their second wedding anniversary this past July and my hubby and I took them out to dinner this past Saturday night to celebrate.

We had a wonderful evening together and a great dinner at a local restaurant in Metairie called "Cafe B".  If you are in the neighborhood, I highly recommend their BBQ oyster appetizer.  They are also served at their sister restaurant, Red Fish Grill in New Orleans. 

(Here is where the photo of the oysters would have gone if they hadn't gotten gobbled up so quickly!)

Kelly and I planned ahead of time that while I was in town we would makeover a piece of furniture that had been handed down to her and Brad from his mother and father.  She was so excited to receive the piece because she was already looking for something similar.  Getting a piece like she wanted and one that was already in the family made it that much better!

Our latest victim of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

top half only

The week before I got there, she spent time in the evening after getting off of work, painting it in Old White so that when I got there, all that was left was the waxing! (That's all...haha)

She was so excited to get started that she didn't remember to take a before picture of the whole piece so you will have to use your imagination on what the bottom half looked like before!

Here'a a look at the top half Before & After being painted!

Her husband suggested adding a color to the inside back panel and she chose Coco.  They were both really pleased with how it turned out.

This piece was by far, the largest Annie Sloan project that she and I have undertaken but knew that it was going to be a great piece once it was complete.

I have to apologize for the quality of the pictures.  The weather is soooo hot here that when I left my camera out in the trunk of the car, it fried my memory card and I didn't have another card with me! 

I can't wait to see what she is going to put inside!  I'm sure she has lots of great ideas and once it's filled with pretties I will take some pictures with my camera and share with you.  I'm thinking it won't be long before it's picture perfect ready!

Have a great day!

Kim

My Kitchen Panty Door & Why I Did It

Do you have a spot in your house where someone can see in at night time but you can't see out if your lights are on?

Does it give you that kind of creepy feeling all over?

Well, that's what I have at my front door.  But, if I open my pantry door at just the right angle, it blocks the view into my kitchen and keeping room where I typically hang out!  So, the pantry door stays open 99.9% of the time day and night!  Sounds a little crazy, I know, but hey, whatever works!

Creepy feeling at the front door resolved - but the old view of the pantry door was, although harmless, creepier!

When I was reorganizing my Kitchen back in April, I looked at that pantry door and knew I had to change it.



I remembered that I had picked up these small jars from Hobby Lobby about a year ago after Southern Living magazine featured them with a BBQ rub recipe.   And while my awesome sisters, Pege & Cheryl made rub and labels, I on the other hand did not.

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The jars are just too cute with the little wooden spoons attached and they work great for small spoonfuls!

I found these free labels and was able to download and customize them for what I needed.  I didn't want adhesive labels so I printed on white card stock, cut them out and then laminated them to protect from moisture.

I used foam board and white contact paper and made a base for each wire shelf so the jars don't move around when the door occasionally gets opened and closed.  For the top two shelves, I used larger glass jars for items like cocoa, baking Splenda, etc.

Now when I walk past this area of my kitchen, I just smile!  No more creepies - well at least not in my pantry!

August Challenge

I hope everyone had a great weekend!


I spent the last four days down in New Orleans helping my stepdaughter, Lauren, move into her new place, which I hope to be sharing with you later this month. 

 But for now....

We should get busy on our August Challenge, which is:

(drum roll)

MASTER BEDROOM CLOSETS

As with most reorganization projects, one of the first things you will want to do is...

wait for it....

                                   wait for it....

                                                                       you guessed it...

PURGE

Don't you just love that word!  As an organizer, it's my numero uno favorite!

Here's how you are going to do it:

You need 4 boxes labeled:

KEEP

DONATE

TRASH

SELL

Remove articles that you know you are never going to use again and place in one of the containers other than "KEEP".

Try on your clothes!  Yup!  Go ahead...you can do it!  You know what to do with them after that, right?

If you share a closet, you may have to twist an arm or two to complete this challenge. 

Once you have gone through everything, you are ready to organize and place things back in the closet.

If this is just a day or week challenge for you, then go ahead and put things back and enjoy the refreshed closet!  

I like to use the "R A  I N B O W" method when organizing my clothes.  It just adds a little sunshine to my closet.

For those of you that are wanting to do a bit more than purging, here are a few other things you might want to consider for this month's challenge.

Remove everything from the closet and clean all areas of the closet.  You may want to repaint or wallpaper the walls.

Maybe add shelves for shoes, purses, etc. that can't seem to stay off the floor.  Another option might be an over the door organizer.  If you are going to purchase new containers for storing consider clear ones.

Becky over at Organizing Made Fun had some great tips on how to use hangers beyond clothes to organize the closet.

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One trick that I like to use when storing boots and purses, is to add paper tissue or bubble wrap to keep the items upright on a shelf or floor.

Your closet is a place that you go to everyday at least once or twice.  Why not add a photo or something that is special to you.  There might be a spot to place an inspirational message to yourself.

And, of course, label, label. label.

Relax...those skinny jeans from last fall just might fit after all!

Happy Organizing!

Kim