5 steps to organize any room

Alright…you are working through your summer checklist and it’s time to organize that room that has been taunting you since the winter. Here are some foolproof tips to make the design and re-organization successful: 1. Determine purpose-  Decide how you want the room to be used and what activities you will be doing in the space. This provides a framework for what items will actually stay in the room. 2. Create a Plan- Sketch the room on graph paper. Then have fun and cut out furniture to scale (similar to what you already have in the room) from magazines! You can move the pieces around until you find the perfect flow and layout. No more moving heavy furniture several times! 3. Proper Homes-  Think of where you will habitually execute a task. Once you determine the best place to do something, gather all the materials you need to do that chore and put them into the location you previously chose. Group similar activities together into “zones” 4. Be Honest- Always ask yourself, “Do I need this?”, “Is it worth making room for?”, “Does it take me closer to the goal I have for using this space?” 5. Revisit Always assess the design and organization of your space. A change in your method of doing things always means a tweak for your space.

Vacation made easy

My family and I recently returned from a seven day cruise in the Western Caribbean. It probably goes without saying that cruise ships make being organized while far from home as simple as breathing. I was in my glory and every family member benefited from the ease in which we were able to relax! I was most impressed with the stateroom I had on the ship. I spent the first half hour on board getting acquainted with my fabulously laid out cabin. It was refreshing to be in a space designed so well to accommodate every need I might have. The bathroom lacked counter space but made up for it with a variety of shelves and cabinets tucked away from view. I could unload everything and not have to look at it! The dresser, vanity and closet had ample space for 4 girl’s clothes, including several small cabinets and drawers to hide away all our non-clothing items, all organized by use and in their assigned storage spaces! I couldn’t lose anything because all my "stuff" had a home. This assured that I came back from vacation with everything I left with, too. I was in love with this cabin, which made my vacation so enjoyable given the fact that I was sharing the space with three other women. The layout of the ship was a thing of beauty, too. I want to meet the “convenience gurus” who thought out the floor plan of each deck and cabin. They could not have made it any easier to get to where I wanted to go, anywhere in the ship. When you consider that over 5000 people have to share a 160,000 ton vessel for seven days the level or organization needed is staggering. I loved it!

Happy July 4th!

I want to wish you all a Happy July 4th! I hope you enjoy this day with family and friends but also remember the reason why we celebrate this pivotal moment in history. While traveling over the last couple weeks I witnessed a bit of the beauty but also the poverty and oppression in other parts of the world. It was a sobering experience to reflect on what I take for granted back home.

Let’s take the time to remember and acknowledge today the incredible sacrifice of many determined men and women over 230 years ago who stood up against tyranny and governmental injustice to pave the way for the birth of our nation and set the foundation for the freedoms we have today.

Never take them for granted. The rights we have now were fought for and are still being protected today against those who would slowly take them away. Have a wonderful day and I hope you celebrate this great country of ours with those close to you!