Sacred Spaces - Past Tips of the Month

Past Tips of the Month

May, 2008

May Organizing Here are a few simple Spring "to do's" for your home: It's all about clean windows: Either do it yourself, inside and out, or hire window cleaners. You'll be amazed at how bright and open your home will look. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned: It will not only work more efficiently when cold weather returns, but it will be safer as well. Create a Home Organizer: Using a 3-ring binder, catalogue every major household job and which month to do it in and list all emergency numbers for workmen, sitters, etc. Back to top...

March, 2008

The Questionable Item Everyone has that one questionable item they keep and are not quite sure they should. So let's review! The Wedding Dress - if it's from a previous marriage, it's a no brainer. Donate It! If you're saving it for your daughter, if it's that important to you, spend the extra cash and get it preserved. Most cleaners have a service. The Guilt Item - You get a gift from someone who cares about you and well, to put it nicely, it's "different". Donate it! Would you want someone to keep a gift from you they didn't want? Past Loves - Photos of past relationships are part of your history, as long as you keep a reasonable amount and put them away, I say...Keep them! Back to top...

December, 2007

A Green Home In the last six months my family and I have made a more conscious effort to create a more environmentally friendly home. We began changing traditional light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent CFL’s . We’re slowly switching to healthier, organic food. And our recycling system has refined and matured. In the spirit of keeping an organized home, this month’s Tips of the Month is dedicated to Recycling. "Paper or Plastic?" Next time you’re in the grocery store, see if they sell reusable bags. Jewel and Whole Foods already sell bags that are strong, reusable and made from recyclable material. If you have to choose, choose paper over plastic. Plastic bags are nonrenewable, not readily biodegradable, toxic and harmful to wildlife. Batteries: Because of their hazardous heavy metal content single-use and rechargeable batteries need to be recycled. Check www.batteryrecycling.com for general information or try to use products that do not need batteries or invest in rechargeable battery system like Pure Energy: www.pureenergybattery.com. Bulbs: While regular bulbs are not recyclable, CFL’s are and should be recycled due to a small amount of mercury that can leak into landfills. However, unlike regular bulbs that last four times longer and will save you money in the long run. If you can’t switch all your bulbs at once, start with those you use most often, such as bedside lamps, kitchen lights, etc. General Recycling: Not every plastic, paper or glass is recyclable. Depending on your local recycling company, certain colored glass, waxy cartons (milk, juice), and products with recycling numbers larger than 3 and any soiled containers are not recyclable. Check out the company’s website for more detailed information. I sometimes wonder whether I do enough to protect our environment, have a safe, organized and healthy home, and be a role model to my children. Maintaining a Green Home is a small step that everyone can make and you’ll soon realize that it isn’t all that hard to make a positive difference after all. Back to top...

July, 2007

Electronic Email Similar to paper clutter, a disorganized E-Mail account can be overwhelming, inefficient and time consuming. Cluttered E-mail is more insidious because it's not visible and can easily build up "behind the scenes". Sort through all received and sent mail. You can sort by date, priority or project. Create folders within your account to save pertinent emails just like you would in a file cabinet. Titles may include household, business, marketing, membership, kids, etc. Keep emails until you've responded to them, then delete or file in electronic folder. Print any documents you may need then delete the file. Sort through all the files at least once per month to weed out any unnecessary emails. Empty your trash. It's easy and makes more room to purge. Back to top...

May, 2007

The Car "Happiness is a Clean Car" - That's what it says on my little trash bag I get for free from the local car wash. I don't know if happiness is the best term, but it's very close. I always believed that the car was an extension of the home. Very often, if a car is cluttered and disorganized, parts of the home is as well. Here are a few tips to help keep your 'second' home clear, peaceful, calm and clutter-free: Empty entire car into bags or boxes and sort everything into categories; trash, need (in car), other (home) and drop off (videos, library, cleaners). Start fresh and clean your car either professionally or on your own. Pay attention to every SEEN & UNSEEN areas including under the seats, cup holders and seat pockets. Find a home for things that stay. Keep as much as possible off the floor and not exposed and use plastic bins or baskets to store your trunk items: Glove compartment: car manual, insurance/registration (check expiration date), paper/pen, flashlight Trunk: first-aid kit, emergency road kit, blanket, umbrellas, sports items, seasonal items such as sunscreen Extra Storage Area: small trash bags, box of tissues, hand lotion/lip balm & sunglasses Keep snacks/food to a minimum such as lollipops, whole fruit, closed drinks, vetc. Keep the car crumb free and have small trash bags and wipes handy. And this rule includes the kids too! Most important, at the end of every day, collect the trash and the non-essential car items so the next morning begins clutter free. This is one habit you want to encourage! And of course, keep up with you required auto maintenance. Back to top...

April, 2007

The Garage Before you know it, Spring will actually feel like it should and you and your family can begin making excursions on your bikes, taking more walks or making those "Sunday Drives" to the parks and trails. Before you know it, it will be time to take out that lawn mower and other gardening tools to get your garden ready for Summer. Now it's time to sort through that garage, clear the clutter and create a space that even your car would be proud to call home. Like the rest of your home, begin by doing a quick sort of your garage, starting on one end and ending at the other. Remember, keep only what you need and love, the rest either throw away (check out your local Spring Clean-Up schedule for a free pick-up) or donate to your favorite charity (like the cute tricycle you know your 13 year old won't ride again). Organize your garage into zones: for example, gardening, kids toys, workshop, extra storage. Make sure to store any hazardous materials or chemicals in a locked cabinet or high shelf. Take your lawn mower for its annual service, it will help it run cleanly and efficiently. Dull blades shred and burn your grass. Turn over your garage from Winter to Summer by hanging all the sleds, skis, etc. higher up, either hanging them on hooks against the wall or on the rafters. Make every attempt to keep as much off the floor as possible. Your bikes should also be hung when not in use: it saves floor space and keeps the tires from getting flat. Make all the kids toys easily accessible to them and create a clean-up system that they can easily follow with containers that are simple and sturdy. Back to top...