Organize the Whole Shebang

Take a Sabbatical

I find myself saying this one over and over to new moms and moms with young children...."take a sabbatical".  Take a sabbatical.... you don't have to give up doing something forever, you just need a break, a leave of absence, a sabbatical from the you you have been, the you BK (before kids). 

I gave up beading.  Just wasn't quite workin' out to have small beads on the counter, wire + tools.  The bambino's nap didn't last quite long enough to get everything out, drum up some creativity, then produce a masterpiece + get everything put away.  More often than not someone needed me, some fabulous little masterpiece that I created needed my full attention and nothing short of that would suffice.

Caren gave up scrap booking... now she's back from her 3 year sabbatical and ready to create her home office + scrap booking studio.  She's on her way to getting her groove back and she's going to start a new biz too.  LOVE IT!  Love that she's back from her leave!

Anything you need to sideline for a bit? It doesn't hurt...you'll feel relieved-trust me.

Keep or Toss? beauty products

So just how do you know when to toss that lipstick... mascara?  I'm always a little lame + late when it comes to really ditching that little ol' product that cost ever so dang much.  And I don't even purchase department store brands....Truth be told I'm a Loreal girl- straight up from Target or the grocery store. 

Here's what I learned from one of my new favorite mags, ShopSmart;) you can visit them at www.shopsmartmag.org  It's a new kind of shopping mag from Consumer Reports- meaning they aren't influenced by advertisers because they don't accept freebies or ads. And that means to me... that they aren't telling me toss it just so I'll purchase the item in question more frequently.

           ITEM                   WHEN TO CHUCK IT

• Blush                  Every 2-3 years
• Eyeliner               After 3 months if it's the liquid type
• Foundation           After 6-12 months
• Lipstick                After 1-2 years
• Makeup Brushes    no need to toss.  Clean them every 2 weeks w/gentle shampoo
• Makeup Sponges   Every 2-4 weeks
• Mascara              Every 4 months
• Moisturizer           After a year
• Self-Tanner         After 2 years
• Sunscreen           After 1 year, unless expiration date is listed.

hmmmm... that suncreen thing- that could explain the sunburn and the others... the pink-eye ;)

Laundry Tips- What lives together Dries Together

Yes, it's never ending... it's boring, it's all over the floor- it's what you wear and it needs constant attention.  Here's how I deal with laundry.... pick and choose which ideas may work for your lifestyle.  Laundry snobs turn your head and cover your ears because this is the lazy women's guide to staying on top of your dirty laundry.

• I do laundry on Sundays.  Sometimes I slip in a load during the week... but I find that on Sunday's my family is just hanging out and it's easier to ask for folding + put away help when you plop a load in front of the remote control!  I also LOVE that I'm NOT doing laundry EVERY day!
• One kid/room at a time.  I'm really lazy... my son's clothes tend to be all darks so his entire load... white socks and all go in the same load.  Now he's a wearing a larger size so he's up to 2 loads... one jeans, one everything else.  My daughter's clothes can all mix it up and my hubby and I... well I do separate our darks + whites and by texture: t-shirts in one load, jeans in another etc.
• What lives together, dries together.  This is my secret tactic for saving time and space!  When you pull the item out of the dryer- fold it and sort it.  Of course this requires you clear all the crap off the top of your machines... do that before you even hunker down to do laundry.  You'll have fewer piles because you're not sorting for 4 people- just one kid/room at a time. 
• A little accountability.  Here are my self accountability secret steps for keeping laundry from taking over my bed, couch, floor, life.  You've got to put it away immediately.  After folding and sorting, place clean piles in basket. Before you return them to their home base....add next load to the dryer then run the water for the next load. NOW you have to beat the clock!  Dash to put away the clean clothes and make it back in time to add dirty clothes before the swishing sounds begin... you can do it.... just don't get distracted by all the other crap you need to tackle as you wind your way from the laundry room to the closet.

And so the laundry saga continues, week in and week out!

A few more tidbits to satisfy you perfectionista's:

• I typically do linen's on Friday's... since that's the day I change the sheets. 
• I don't fold underwear....as long it's clean that's just fine with me.
• My black socks all match, my children wear white socks in 1 or 2 styles.  This really saves on sorting time.

Questions?  Comments?  Your fabulous little tidbits?  Do Share.....

Three Check Marks = Excellent

   I was soooo surprised and delighted to have my website rated in the Home and Garden section of Thursday's Oregonian!!!!  I received an email from an esteemed colleague, Kirstin Litchfield, then I called my hubby immediately to grab a copy and read it to me.... I felt so Hollywood reading a review and I didn't even know I had a review comin' my way!

The review was titled "Let your Inner Organizer Roam on the Web".  Ann Robinson wrote "These Web sites are something for your inner organizer to nosh on, to find a cathartic balm in the midst of chaos."  Here are the cliff notes:

www.mythings.com  2 check marks "is for people with too much stuff"

www.getorganizednow.com 3 check marks "organizing goals"

www.myorganizedlife.com 3 check marks "tips, checklists, and how-to's"

www.organizeinstyle.com 3 check marks " Colvin's passion is organizing and there's something to be said about organization, which, if done right, can take some minutiae and frustration out of day-to-day life."  She also likes my AM Northwest segments saying there are some good ideas in there.  yeah!!!

www.lifeorganizers.com  2 check marks "Check out the 20 Little Known Organizing Secrets Used by Professional Organizers" (use the search field to find it).

www.creativehomemaking.com 3 check marks  "You'll find oodles of articles on organizing"

So there you have it ... my very first website review.  For the complete article Download oregonian-hgnw.jpg

Bruised

I have finally committed to a file cabinet... this was a toughie for me...  I've been my hunting for the best solution for my new desk and I decided to go with the modern Ikea Galant drawer unit on casters. 

I chose this one for 2 reasons: 1. It had filing and drawer space in one unit 2. it could be easily carried up a really big flight of stairs in pieces by moi! 

However my new commitment/relationship has left me bruised.  Have you ever put together something from Ikea?  Oh vey...it's rough my little pretties (my mom use to say I could be a hand model).  My forty-something year olds are no longer sporting model potential- BUT I do have a fabulous filing cabinet complete with some much needed drawer space.  Note: there are 2-hidden drawers once you pull out the large file drawer.  I also upgraded the pull handles.... I'll send you a photo of my new office digs soon!

Tomorrow I'll carry her upstairs to her new home, where she'll support me in all things SHE... self | home | endeavors.  I hope she can handle it....

SHOP/08 check it out

Hey indie biz owners... check out SHOP/O8 coming to PDX and Seattle.  I'm excited to announce I'll be your emcee-extraordinaire for the day.....

Join me and other fabulous women... including Kathi O'Neil of Portland Picks fame.... as we continue to live out loud! 

Closet Sale @ Storables!

Are your closets completely underutilized?  Is the white wire pushing you over the edge?  I just wanted to remind you that Storables is having their sale... save 25% on custom closets and accessories through January 28th, 2008. 

As a gift to my clients I always pass on my Storables discount to them...but this 25% beats my 20% discount..... if you have questions about your closet concerns... leave a comment or drop me an email.  I'd be happy to give you my 2-cents!

I can't even tell you how much you'll love having a closet system!

The Studio Project-final appt!

Today will be Jayne's final appointment!  The furniture, lighting, and lush trinkets have all been put up and away.... today we will work on the work flow and final touches regarding function amongst the fabulous! 

I do have photos to share, as well as Jayne's side of the story... look for those next week along with the AFTER photos!  Yeah!  I'm so excited for Jayne and yet a bit weepy that my work is done!

Organize your Home Office

 

I write a monthly column for The Columbian's Home and Garden section.  I've attached my article titled "Bringing order to your Home Office".  It's full of fabulous tips to get you going on your own project!  Check out the really cool products in the photos- love the under the desk filing system....

This is the first time I've attached a file to my blog... so I hope it works! Download krista_colvinbringing_order_to_your_home_office.pdf You may need to increase the size bit to read it... if you'd like to reprint any part of the article just let me know and I'd be happy to work with you~

Tornado in Vancouver, Washington!

Oh my gosh.... last week a tornado blew through my county!  THIS is NOT tornado country! 

As I was leaving the chiropractor's office the radio was running what I thought was one of those annoying tests- you know the one with the loud beeps followed by some staticy male voice.  "Tornado warning for Clark County, Washington".  I headed home quickly, turned on the news and found live coverage of Hazel Dell- my husband's old stomping grounds.

The amazing thing is that no one, and I mean no one was hurt!  Just loads of trees tossed about, amongst other damage.  The past few days our local paper, The Columbian, has done a wonderful job of sharing the stories about the wonderful, caring members of our community.  This certainly isn't the first time I've been impressed with the giving nature of Clark County residents... but I certainly hope it's the last tornado that runs through these here parts!