Operation Organization: Real Simple Solutions

November 27, 2007 at 9:22 pm | In Home, Ideas | Leave a Comment
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The latest book I turned to for organizational advice was Real Simple Solutions. It looked pretty neat but I was not expecting to learn so many cool things. Seriously, this stuff is groundbreaking! More than 180 pages of home (and office) making gold. It has information on everything from how to stock a pantry, how to set a table, and how to load a dishwasher, to how to stock your office desk drawer, how to paint a room, and how to properly hang lights on the Christmas tree. Other people may know how to do these things perfectly, but so far in life, I have been mostly haphazard. So this book is really for me! It is also veritable treasure trove of handy dandy tips and tricks on cleaning, dressing, eating, entertaining and decorating. All of that in just one book. How great is that?

Some of my favorite ideas:

  •  Cut pizza with a pair of scissors so you don’t have to keep cutting back and forth
  • Freeze aloe vera gel in ice cube trays for sunburn relief
  • Keep tall boots upright in the closet by putting a one liter plastic soda bottle inside
  • For extra cooler space, fill up the washing machine with water and ice to keep beverages cold 
  • Avoid nail holes in the wall by hanging pictures with velcro
  • Remove pet hair from upholstery with a damp rubber dishwashing glove – the hair will cling right to it
  • Use Lifesavers to hold birthday candles in place

Now all I need is some tips on organizing books about organizing!

Operation Organization: Good Things for Organizing

November 14, 2007 at 10:39 pm | In Home, Ideas | Leave a Comment
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I didn’t know a thing about Martha Stewart (except for the jail thing) until I started getting Martha Stewart Weddings before I got married. From that I learned:

1. Martha Stewart is a genius.

and

2. Martha Stewart must spend every waking moment on some sort of art or craft to get all of this stuff accomplished.

Now that I know she has whole books dedicated to nothing but organizing and housekeeping, I figure she just doesn’t sleep at all. But I am glad because Good Things for Organizing from Martha Stewart Living has some ideas I would never have thought of to get my living quarters in order. Of course, this book is a little sophisticated for me, considering I live in a hotel and not in a forty-seven room mansion near the World’s Largest Flea Market. My Spice Apothecary and my Potting Cupboard will just have to wait. However, there are a few things in the book that are both ingeneous and simple enough for even someone like me to employ:

  • Kitchen Towel Hooks – sew a loop of twill tape onto your dish towels and hang them on hooks mounted on the side of a cabinet to dry
  • Under Shelf Rolling Pin Storage – Hang rolling pin on brackets under a utility shelf so it doesn’t take up too much room in your kitchen drawers
  • Makeup Towels – have dark colored towels embroidered with the word “makeup” so guests won’t mess up your nice white face cloths with their day-old lipstick
  • Folding Fitted Sheets – I still can’t do it, but at least this book has step by step directions with pictures so I can practice
  • Secure Trash Bags – Hold bag in place in the trash can with metal binder clips (office supplies are so versatile!)
  • Boot Tray – Put a cooling rack over a cookie sheet for your wet boots to dry on

When I finally get my house complete with attic, garage, and laundry room, I will try our the rest of the tips (including hanging a ball from the garage ceiling down to your windshield so you know exactly where to park), but, sadly, you might have to wait just a bit longer for that. Until then I will amuse myself with metal binder clips, and dreams of ribbon boards, thread racks, and a fully stocked desk in every room.

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