The Overstuffed Closet

Do you have a lot of "someday" best. Someday I'm going to fit into these again. Someday this trend might return. Someday I'm going to wear this. The problem is, "someday" doesn't exist; there's only today. Here's what to do with what's being worn only by your hangers.

Clothes that don't fit: If you've gained weight, keep the smaller-sized clothes that you'll get the most use from and work on fitting into them again. If you've already lost weight, don't keep a whole closetful of big clothes as though one day you're going to suddenly be struck fat; donate them.

Trend items: If you're waiting for something to come back in style, don't. Even if it does return, it will look dated—and so will you.

Special occasion outfits: The rule that says "If you haven't worn it in a year, donate it" is a fine guide for when to say goodbye.

Sentimental pieces: You say, "I really loved this jacket." I know you did. But if you haven't worn it in ages and it doesn't work with your other clothes, it's time for it to go away. If you're saving your wedding dress, be honest—do you have the space to store it? Do you have a daughter you're saving it for, and is it a timeless classic she won't roll her eyes at? If the answers are yes, keep it. If you're short on storage space, you have only sons, or your dress has puffy sleeves, lace, and buttons up the arms because you did a kind of Linda Ronstadt circa 1974 thing, give it to a thrift store or DonateMyDress.org, which provides formal wear to girls who can't afford prom or special occasion dresses.

Now that you have a closetful of clothes that you actually wear, organize them—all the short-sleeved shirts together, all the jeans together, etc. Do the same with your shoes. If you have the space, they can be kept on shelves so you can see them immediately. If not, try stacking shelves or hanging shoe racks.


This is an excerpt from Oprah Magazine by Andrew Mellow, a professional organizer. To learn more about Mr. Mellow visit VirgoMan.com

Folder and Cards

It's time to reveal our Secret Sisters with my NC SU group. So, I have been working on putting together some things for my SS. I recently got Holiday Lineup and I just love this holiday stamp set. I have done a swap with it already. Here is a Christmas folder and cards I made today - most of them, using Holiday Lineup. I think they turned out pretty good.

Folder closed:

Folder Open:Card using Top Note and my Cuttlebug:

Card using Spiral Punch:

Card using retired Poinsetta Wheel and Retired corner punch:

Card using retired Designer Paper and Square Punches:

Happy Birthday Stampin' Up

Stampin' Up! is celebrating its 20th year and you get the gifts!!! Throughout October, each time you place an order for $20, you can purchase any of the following sets at 20% off. There is no limit to the number of sets you can purchase.

(The set used in the items above is Party Hearty.)

Big Bold Birthday
Cumpleaños genial y divertido (Spanish Big Bold Birthday)
Party Hearty
Bitty Birthday
Crazy for Cupcakes
Simple Birthday Thanks
Time to Party
Crab & Company

Un Clutter Your Home Office

The Pile of Mail

If you can't finish the mail, don't start the mail. You can't slice chicken for dinner and sort your bills at the same time, so when you come in the front door with a stack of mail, put it in the basket, box, or whatever container you have handy for this purpose. You don't have such a container? No wonder there are so many piles of mail around your house.

When you're ready, take your mail basket to wherever you deal with paperwork. First, pull out the circulars and flyers and set them aside; you'll either clip the coupons or put them in the recycling bin — later. Also set aside the catalogs. If you're shopping for something specific, save them. (Caveat: no multiples. The new catalog replaces the old one, which gets recycled.) If you're getting catalogs you never wanted in the first place, pull off the pages with the mailing label and put them aside; that's an action item for later. Then separate the rest: bills, personal correspondence, time-sensitive invitations, requests for charitable donations, membership renewals, new credit card offers, and so forth.

Open the bills first because they represent a relationship that must be honored; if you want the services, you have to pay. All the stuffing that says "You've been selected to receive these free gifts" goes into the recycling bin. All you want is the bill and the return envelope.

Put any invitations aside; later on, you'll transfer those into your calendar and send your response.

If there's room in your home office, have small bins in which to stack bills, invitations, and the correspondence you're keeping.

When you're done sorting, then you can read your magazines. Or get those back pages you ripped out, call the companies that sent them, and tell them what you don't want — their catalogs. (You can also log on to Catalogchoice.org, a free service that will stop these unwanted mailings from being sent to you.)

This is an excerpt from Oprah Magazine by Andrew Mellow, a professional organizer. To learn more about Mr. Mellow visit VirgoMan.com

Clutter in the Kitchen

Today's clutter is devoted to my Mom!! Angela - if you are reading this, print it out for MOM!!!

The Crammed Kitchen.

Your kitchen is a food preparation area, not a storage space. The idea here is to weed out what you're not using, then put similar items together and in the best places.

Appliances: Machines that are broken or aren't used are just taking up space. If your Crock-Pot has a missing lid that you say you're going to replace someday, or you're keeping the bread maker just because it was a gift, get rid of it.

Food containers: All your plastic storage items should have corresponding lids. If you don't have one or the other, it's a recycling item. (Yeah .... I need to work on this one! My kids used to hate to open the dreaded "plastic top drawer"!!)

Pots and pans: If there isn't a lot of space in your kitchen, use a pot rack. If you have the space, hang them along the wall for fast access.

Knives: If you're short on counter space, consider the type of knife block that fits in a drawer.

Plastic bags: Everybody has a plastic bag full of other plastic bags. Use the ones you have for trash can liners, or take them back to the supermarket for recycling. (take them to your car NOW!!) Keep canvas shopping totes in the car so you don't accumulate more plastic bags (Just got to remember to take them into the store when you go!!) Mesh shopping bags roll up small enough to be kept in your handbag for unexpected trips to the market.

Cookbooks: Unless you're a collector or you have a lot of room, edit them. How often do you use the cookbook? If you've had it for years but it's never gotten a single stain or burn from use, donate it. (Another one of my "things to work on". I love cookbooks & have a bunch!)


This is an excerpt from Oprah Magazine by Andrew Mellow, a professional organizer. To learn more about Mr. Mellow visit VirgoMan.com

Un Clutter Your Life!

I can be a pack-rat sometimes. But, then I go through a clean-it-all-up stage and out it goes. Or .... more than likely, we move & I have to take a hard look at what I've accumulated!! Since I don't see any moves for us in the future, I need to begin to "un-clutter"! Here are some tips I've gotten (from Oprah magazine) that I thought everyone could probably use. They are from Andrew Mellow, a professional organizer (how do you ever get that job???)

Think of this scenario: If your house were burning and your family, pets, and purse were already out of harm's way, what else would you want to save? Probably not the blender that only works on one speed, the china you inherited but never use, or the photo in which you're not exactly looking your best. Which begs the question: If those things aren't worth taking, why are they in your home in the first place? There's no reason to be surrounded by things that don't work, that you don't need, or that you don't even like.

The Ground Rules

1. Everything you own should have value, either because it's functional or beautiful or you just love it. Remember the question of what you'd grab if your house were on fire; that's your baseline for determining an object's worth.

2. Every item needs a place where it "lives." Setting things down on the coffee table or kitchen counter creates piles and confusion. How many times have you had to search for your keys when you are ready to go somewhere? Where do your keys live? They live in a bowl or on a hook by the front door — but you never lose anything when you put it where it lives.

3. Focus on one thing at a time. Multi tasking is supposed to help you get more things done quickly, but when you try to do 19 things at once, everything ends up incomplete. You're trying to simplify your life, so simplify your approach to getting organized.

Tomorrow we'll look at un-cluttering the kitchen!!

Got a napkin?

I learned a new technique this weekend and I had to try it out. See these cards -

Well, they are made from napkins!! Isn't that cool?!! I ironed the napkins onto my cardstock sandwiching a piece of Saran Wrap in between. You can learn all about it by watching Michelle's video HERE.

I have a ton of pretty napkins from my days of mod-podging (a looooong time ago!!). I picked up most of them at Tuesday Morning - they have some really pretty napkins. The one with the leaves is left over from Thanksgiving last year. The one with the flowers I used the flowers from Upsy Daisy and embossed it on Bashful Blue and added a pearl from the SU Pretties kit.

Don't forget - this is the final 2 days to order Upsy Daisy ON SALE!! If you are interested (or in any of the other sale stamp sets), let me know by Tuesday.

Country Living Magazine

If you enjoy magazines, have I got a deal for you!!

Stampin' Up is once again teaming up with Country Living - but in a grand way this year - Read On...

Stampin' Up has partnered with Country Living magazine to design the Country Living Holiday Collection Stampin' Kit that will be featured in the December 2008 issue of Country Living. As an added bonus, Country Living is offering Stampin' Up! customers a special magazine subscription rate. Subscribe to a year of Country Living for only $12 and get a FREE mini stamp kit! For just $1 an issue, you'll receive great craft projects, articles on collecting, makeover features, recipes and entertaining ideas - all delivered to your home each month. PLUS, Country Living will include the exclusive Stampin' Up! mini stamp kit. Use it to design note cards, menus and anything else that inspires you! Click here to subscribe.

Stay tuned for more details on the Exclusive Holiday Kit featured in the 28 page layout.

Damned if we do; Damned if we don't

In case there hasn’t been time to find those few minutes to pick up a paper in the last week and half or so, a brief overview—we are in economic crisis, something that is very real. If you are not feeling it in your pocket book now (like at the grocery store or the gas station), you will be soon. As was described in the Presidential Address the other night, the government has bailed out big businesses that have gone bankrupt due to corrupt business practices. The tax payers are now responsible for paying over 85 billion dollars that private business negligently squandered, though never was it the big bosses’ paychecks who ever suffered. In order to do this, we are borrowing money that will leave our children with with a massive debt to repay.

So what do we all think of this? On one hand, the people that would suffer would be the everyday people whose life insurance, home insurance, retirement, and credit that would suddenly become void, or plummet if these companies dissolved. On the other, since when does government pay for private businesses’ economic mistakes? I thought we had something called Capitalism in this society?

What do you all think? Are you ready to foot the bill for a big company’s mistake? Or do think the government is right to step in?

Blog Candy Alert

Click here for some blog candy - from the UK!