Happy Hangers

Want to really spiff up your closet and be kind to your clothes in minutes?
It's easy and low cost, too!

Toss out these (run quickly and get rid of them forever!)

and these (I know, we all have them)

and yes, even these

Okay, maybe don't throw them all away, they're so beautiful. But, not too many, ok?


Then, hang all your clothes on the same hanger -- same color, same kind.
These flocked hangers are really the best, best, best.

They hold clothes ON the hangers (no shoulders sliding off) which protects clothes from stretching and pulling and getting those "hanger bumps." Your clothes stay on the hanger, rather than falling on the floor (and you can cut off those straps in your clothes that always slip out into sight when you're wearing them). Having one uniform color really cleans up the appearance of your closet and takes your eye to your clothes, not your hodge podge of hangers.

I got mine at Costco, less than $10 for a box of 50, so they're economical, too. An easy, effective and inexpensive solution for any closet!

Move in a Morning

My son and daughter-in-law are moving. They are taking some of my sweet grandbabies with them. They didn't even ask permission!

Moving can be difficult but on many counts, but having an organized move can help a ton. When we last moved a house with 5 teenagers and lots of stuff, we were able to do it in a single morning (give or take . . .) Here are a few moving tips in case you're getting ready to pull up and move:

1. As soon as you know you'll be moving, begin packing. Pack up holiday and out-of-season things, kitchen items you don't often use, books and so on. Work your way up to packing the most essential items just before you leave.
   
2. Use as many boxes of equal size as possible. This allows for packing a truck easier. Megan bought boxes from Home Depot for their move, but free orange/apple boxes from your local grocery are good, too. EVERYTHING goes in a box. Don't leave things in flimsy bags or lose just to put in the car. Before you know it, you have way too many things not in boxes and that just complicates things.
   
3. Label your boxes well. In my next post, you'll see more of this.
   
4. The best packing material I have found is simple newsprint paper, available for a great price at paper supply stores. These large sheets protect valuables and are great for stuffing empty holes and you don't feel bad throwing it away at the end.
5. When you begin disassembling furniture, carefully place the screws, bolts and small piecs in baggies and securely tape them to the furniture pieces -- the backs, the bottoms, around the rails, etc. This way you have them handy when you are ready to reassemble.
6. Be sure to have everything packed by the morning of your move. Remember you friends and relatives are just there to "git 'er done" and not to pack the last minute things. (I forgot to empty the fridge!) Plan ahead so that you can have a small cooler and few bags packed with the things you will need -- clothes, food, snacks, sippy cups, bottles, toothbrushes, etc.
7. Make a Moving Binder --- more on that in another post!

A little effort ahead of your move will make everything run more smoothly and a stressful life experience a little easier.

Fall Closet Reorganization

The leaves are falling and the weather is cooling off. It's time to rearrange your closet for winter. Remove all your spring/summer clothes that you won't wear during cold weather. If you have another spare closet, hang them there, otherwise box them up. Even if you have "room" in your closet, cleaning out what you won't be wearing keeps you focused on what you can wear and makes seeing what you have and what you need easier. Toss out or give away anything that is too old, too worn, doesn't fit well or you just won't wear.

Distraction Deterrent

The phone rings while you're cleaning the cupboard out and Sara needs you to make cupcakes for the School Bake Sale this weekend. You walk over to your calendar to write a note to yourself. Then you wonder if you have cake mix and off to the pantry you go. What a mess it is, so you start to straighten it as you are looking for the cake mixes and can't find them, but you do find the chili you were looking for last week and realize it's near it's expiration and you should add it to your menu plan and then the doorbell rings . . . remember the cupboard cleaning?!

It is so easy to be distracted by other things. One way to help yourself is to carry a small notebook with you. When the phone call comes, make a note to add the cupcakes and Bake Sale to your calendar. While you're cleaning and remember something else you need to remember, you can quickly jot that down. This distraction deterrent will allow you to stay at the task you're working on, while not forgetting all the other things you need to do.