ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! - PART 7 THE MASTER BEDROOM
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Master Bedroom
The bedroom is the first and last place you see every day. It should be your space, a space you can relax in – watch the news before you snooze, listen to a favorite song, or read your favorite magazine. It is the place you begin your day – the bedroom’s condition can affect your daily mood! You deserve a place that welcomes you, a bed that wraps itself around you.

• The Bed – The bed is the focal point of a bedroom. Treat yourself to hotel-quality sheets and pillows. Buy a beautiful comforter or duvet. Make your bed every day. Accent the bed with decorative pillows. You should feel like you are retreating to a luxury hotel room every night.

Notice the bench at the end of the bed. It serves as a place to put on socks and shoes, and has the bonus of added storage for extra blankets and linens. Candles and flowers add to the romance of the bedroom.

• The Night Stand – Find a nightstand that has ample storage. On top you will need space for a lamp (unless you have wall-mounted lighting), tissues, a carafe of water, an alarm clock and reading material. If you like to read before going to bed, consider a basket to organize your reading materials.

I designed this Southwest bedroom for a family in Texas. This room was once blue. It is now a rich red clay and gold umbre. I designed the room around the poncho hanging behind the bed and a sandstone tile the couple brought back from Arizona. The result is striking. Notice the bedside tables on each side, clear of clutter.

• Put your clothes away – It may seem kindergarten rules but it’s important. Dirties are placed in the hamper. Jackets and pants you can wear again are hung up. Laundry is put away promptly.

• Closet Organizer – Consider hiring a professional to organize your closet. Or if you are a DIY (do-it-yourself) type of person, there are great closet systems available at your local home center. Here’s a great tip for getting ready in the morning. Set out everything you need the night before. It eliminates several minutes of indecision. Think head to toe - what will you wear? I do it as do my children. It makes the morning routine a snap.

• De-clutter - Clear surfaces of clutter. A man can use a valet to organize his wallet, watch, etc. Consider purchasing a charging station that charges several electronic devices at once – cell phone, PDA, portable music player, digital camera, etc. This is my husband’s valet. It’s good for keys, coins, and a general catchall.

• Jewelry organizer – If you have a lot of jewelry pieces, consider a jewelry chest or armoire to organize your jewelry. Another way I like to organize my jewelry is to store sets in small zippered bags (I found mine in the craft section of Wal-Mart). Then I slip the bags into a zippered CD storage case (with four CDs to a page). When I want jewelry, I just flip through the pages and pick the set I need. When I travel, I transfer a smaller amount into a small zippered CD case with single CD pages.

• Romance - Beautify your room with florals, candles and soft lighting. Turn on the music and meditate or make love.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! - PART 6 THE BATHROOM
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Bathroom
This is a room that everyone visits several times a day, including guests. It’s also a room that because it’s filled with moisture, can build up with bacteria. Keeping the bathroom both clean and tidy is a must. The bathroom pictured above is not only the guest bathroom, it is also the bathroom of our two daughters, ages 7 and 17.

Clear surface clutter. Store makeup and toiletries in organizers and bins and put them behind closed doors. I simplified my husband’s morning routine by putting everything he needed to get ready in the morning in one basket – shaving cream, razor, lotion, aftershave, hair products, etc. The only thing on our counter is a beautiful floral arrangement, a candle, and the hand soap dispenser.

I also simplified my make-up routine with less make-up - foundation, blush, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. “Less is more.” My make-up routine takes five minutes in the morning. Lipliner and lipstick is kept in my purse.

Get in the Zone - Divide your bathroom into “zones” and containerize accordingly. Items that may be stored in the bathroom include tooth care supplies, facial cleansing and makeup routine products, hair care tools and hair products, surplus toiletries, cleaning supplies, feminine hygiene, toilet tissue, and towels. Group “like with like.” In this drawer you see hair brushes, hot irons, and combs.

Toss old make-up and excess toiletries. If you bought a product you didn’t like, don’t keep it. Toss it or give it to someone who will use it.

Clean the sink, toilet and tub weekly. You can do quick wipe-downs for quick cleanings in between. Streamline underneath the sink by using the 3 Bs -Bins, Baskets and Boxes. Here you will see surplus toiletries, hair care products, and other toiletries.

On the other side of this cabinet, you find cleaning supplies, skin care medication, mouth wash and hand soap. Notice the baskets. The cleaning supplies are stored in a basket with a handle that can be lifted right out to do the job. The medicine is stored in a lined basket, which helps contain accidental spills.

Keep the shower curtain closed. It’s like another wall and hides the visual clutter of the bathtub.

Speaking of the bathtub, you should have no more than one shampoo, conditioner, and soap in the tub. If four people are using the same bathroom and use different products, that could mean twelve different products cluttering the bathtub! Try to streamline such as selecting a family-size shower gel for everyone to use.

The bathroom is a place that deserves your attention because it is a room that endures heavy use. Declutter and streamline your bathroom’s functions. It will make mornings a lot easier and more efficient.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! PART 4 - THE KITCHEN AND THE DINING AREA
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Kitchen
The hearth has always been the heart of the home. People gather where food lives. This room probably gets the most traffic each day, especially if you have children. The kitchen is also a room that needs constant maintenance or it gets out of hand.

• ACT on your kitchen. Assess what you need and what you don’t (get rid of anything you have multiples of – who needs two juicers?). Clear the surface clutter. Take control by grouping and containerizing. Remember the “Like with Like” rule. Put the knives near your prep area. Pots and pans should be near the stove. Utensils, dishes, and glassware should be in the same area for ease in setting the table at dinnertime. This is my breakfast bar. Coffee, fruit, bread and the toaster live in this area. It makes mornings more efficient.

• Store the largest, least used items in the back of the deepest cabinets (bread machine, rotisserie, ice cream maker, bulky mixers, etc.). Large serving platters, chocolate fountains, drink fountains, chafing dishes and items that you only use for occasional parties can find a home elsewhere (attic, basement, garage).

• Make the most of cabinet space by using shelf spacers and dividers.

• Tidy up the junk drawer by purchasing a pre-labeled and containerized junk drawer organizer. I got mine at Wal-Mart and LOVE it.

• In the pantry, use risers for canned goods. If your pantry is small, like mine, maximize the use of the space with a back-of-the-door organizer.

• Spices should be stored in a dry, cool place away from the moisture of the sink and the heat of the stove. If you are re-doing your kitchen, consider a pull-out spice rack. This one is a 3 inch filler (with spices alphabetized courtesy of my 7 year old) and make a dead space a useful space. There are also spice drawer inserts to make use of a large kitchen drawer. If you have a lot of cabinet space, store your spices in a basket so that when you are cooking, you can pull out the whole basket instead of pulling out all the spices to find the one in the back. Also, label the top of the spice bottles so you can easily access your spices.

• Bring life into the kitchen with plants. Even if you have a black thumb, a jade tree, bamboo, and cactus are virtually care-free and add greenery and oxygen. If you really can’t keep plants alive, jazz up the space with a realistic silk plant. I have a combination of both in my kitchen. Real plants on the window sill, where there is light. A silk plant in the corner where it is darker.

• Clean as you cook. Have the children pitch in to make meals.

• Wash, dry, and put away the dishes before you go to bed. Or load the dishes in the dishwasher before you go to bed and put them away in the morning before you go to work.

The Dining Area
If you only use your dining room for family gatherings once or twice a year, think about converting it into something you would use more often such as an office, an exercise room, a meditation room or a library. My husband and I converted our formal dining room into an office/guest room. Of course, our breakfast area is huge and accommodates a table that seats eight.

• Purchase an appropriate-sized table. If you do a lot of entertaining, consider getting a dining room table in which leaves can be removed to make it more compact.

This is a formal dining room I organized and designed for the M Family. They entertain quite a bit so a formal dining room is appropriate for their home. The walls which were once white are now painted a burgundy below the chair rail and a deep gold above the chair rail. Mrs. M collects angels and her china cabinet was overrun with them. You couldn’t see any of her china! We edited the angel collection, keeping the most valuable and most sentimental pieces. The rest were donated or stored for rotation. I created a beautiful floral arrangement for the middle of the dining room table. The rug underneath is a valuable oriental rug that was moved from the living room. It has the burgundy hues of the wall. The dining room is now an exquisite jewel yet still warm and inviting.

Next, you will see the M’s dining room table transformed into a centerpiece for a wine and cheese party. I took the color cues for the party’s theme from the rich color palette of the dining room. The dining room, as well as the rest of the house, was a showstopper. They went from not wanting to have anyone over because they were overrun with clutter to having lavish parties on a regular basis.

• If the kids must do their homework on the dining room table, require that they clean it up immediately, putting everything away when they are finished.

• Put a beautiful arrangement and candles in the middle of the dining table – this will inspire you to keep the surface clutter-free.

• Eat at your dining table every day. Bring the family together for meal times. Not only will you need to clear space for this important ritual; it is valuable, quality time for everyone in the household. Set the table with beautiful linens and place mats. Use good dishware. Meal time is sacred family time. Take the time to talk and listen to each other.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! PART 3 - THE LIVING ROOM/FAMILY ROOM
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Living Room or Family Room
If this is the place where your family gathers to watch T.V., play games, and talk, then you definitely need to take control of the clutter in this area. You probably have a number of items to store in the living room including DVDs and CDs, board games, blankets, photos, remote controls, books, and children’s toys. Where does it all go?

Coffee Table with Storage – If you don’t have a coffee table that doubles as storage, perhaps you can retrofit it. Does it have a shelf underneath to which you can add boxes, bins or baskets? My coffee table does triple duty – it is a storage unit where I can store blankets and games. The cushioned top can seat extra guests. Then the top flips over to become a serving tray. Simply ingenious.

End Table with Storage – When my husband and I looked for an end table, we couldn’t find one that suited our needs. So I decided to use a non-traditional piece. We found a high bedside night stand with a drawer and two shelves. The drawer houses our remotes and the shelves become a home for books and magazines. A perfect solution.

Entertainment Unit - Find an entertainment unit that can house your TV, A/V equipment, CDs, DVDs, books, collectibles, photos, and games. An entertainment unit that provides added storage is a valuable piece of furniture. Last year, I helped a family organize their entire house in five days. Whew! This entertainment unit was purchased by my clients, Mr. and Mrs. M, from IKEA. It houses a flat screen TV, all the A/V equipment, bins, collectibles and books. Plus, there is room to grow.

Miscellaneous Storage – Are you a magazine junkie? Control magazine mania with a magazine rack or, better yet, labeled magazine holders stored on a bookshelf. Keep a basket handy to gather stray toys (children’s or pets) that are to be put away by evening’s end. Love your wine but don’t have room in the kitchen for it? Consider a wine/liquor bar. This one is in our living room and houses all of our wine, liquor, liqueurs, glassware and bar supplies. It was purchased from World Market.

Bookshelves - Bookshelves make terrific storage pieces. In addition to storing books, you can store DVDs, CDs, and collectibles. Bookshelves can also hold bins, baskets, and boxes to contain just about anything. Put baskets on the bottom shelf to hold the children’s toys. I use my baskets to store my CDs (the ones I recorded). The red boxes store extra paper and postcards that don’t fit in my office.

This bookshelf, purchased by Mr. and Mrs. M at Target, mimics the slant of the staircase. We used it to store photo albums (that were in piles on the floor), travel treasures (buried in various places around the house), and family photo frames (we edited to select the best ones).

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED! PART 2 - THE ENTRY WAY
By Dianne de Las Casas

The Entry Way
This is the first point of entry for the entire family. Organizing this area is vital, especially if you have kids, where shoes are kicked off, coats are dumped, and backpacks are plopped on the floor. It’s easy to organize the entry way, especially if you “zone” everything.

If you have a large entryway, consider investing in a “mud room” storage unit. It is equipped with individual cubbies (for hats, gloves, scarves, etc.), a drawer for shoes, hooks for coats, and a bench for purses and backpacks. Target carries them (lower end) as does Crate and Barrel (higher end).

If you have a small entry way, like me, maximize the space with individual organization tools. Train the kids to bring their backpacks to their rooms.

Hooks – Install hooks for coats and purses (coat racks are bulky and take up too much space – they also tend to “collect” items much like the treadmill in the bedroom ends up being a clothes hanger).

Entry Way Table – Find an entry way table that fits your wall space. Use labeled bins and baskets to collect keys, cell phones, scarves, gloves, hats, etc.)

Umbrella Stand – A large vase works well as an umbrella stand, tucked away in a corner.

Sorting Bins - Provide a bin or basket to collect mail. Sort through the mail and junk the junk immediately. Bills should go in the bill paying area right away. Magazines can be distributed to the bedside or in the designated magazine area.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

ORGANIZED AND ENERGIZED!
By Dianne de Las Casas

One of the most beautiful gifts you can give yourself is organization. Why do people go on vacation? “To get away from it all…” To get away from what? The chaos and clutter of a disorganized home? Look at pictures of luxury hotel rooms – what words come to mind? Tranquil, serene, clean, luxurious, organized? Our homes can be that way too. If you feel overwhelmed by the process of organization, start small and in a public area (the entry way, kitchen, dining room, living room or guest bathroom). That way, when you come home from a hard day at work, you can walk into a space that’s streamlined and uncluttered, even if it is the bathroom. Believe me, it feels so good to walk into a room and know you don’t have to lift a finger to make it look better.

By the way, getting organized is not just your job. It is the job of the entire family. Everyone who lives in the house is responsible for keeping the household together. Adults should not bear the burden alone. Children should be taught to organize and maintain their surroundings. When children learn to care for their belongings, they develop pride and self-confidence. Let’s say your child is in kindergarten. You visit the class and see that the coats are strewn on the floor, story books are scattered everywhere, crayons are haphazardly rolling across the tables, and blocks are blocking the doorway. Would you be upset? Probably. You expect your child’s teacher to organize her classroom and her students. You expect her to teach the students to put items back where they belong. If you expect organization when your child is at school, then why shouldn’t you expect it at home?

Here are some simple rules for creating organization:

ACT! – Assess, Clear and Take Control! Assess your needs – where do you need organization the most? Clear the clutter – purge by trashing, storing, or donating. Finally, Take Control by establishing a routine and maintaining it on a daily basis.

Like with like – Have a collection? Store or display them together. Don’t overwhelm the space by having EVERY piece in your collection out. Store some and rotate them, giving your home a fresh look. Books are shelved with similar books. Toys are stored in one place. CDs and DVDS should be stored together. Like with like.

Take 10 – Every night, take ten minutes to tidy up. Everyone should take ten before going to bed. Toys should be stored, video games put away, and shoes stowed.

The 3 Bs – No, it’s not the 3 Bears. The 3 Bs stand for Bins, Baskets, and Boxes (say that 3 times fast!). Perfect storage solutions. Don’t forget to label them.

Labeler – Buy a labeler. When you are organizing, this is a must. I love the labelers by Dymo. They sell them at Wal-Mart and office supply stores.

Get in the “Zone” – Divide your rooms into “zones.” If your family room must also be a play room, a movie theater, a guest room, a craft room and an office, zone each area. Make a “play corner” for the kids – use a beautiful wicker or wooden chest to store toys. Store guests’ linens in a storage ottoman in front of, or next to, the sofa. Store DVDs and CDs in boxes or bins in the entertainment center. Create a space for a desk that can house craft supplies but double-duty as a home office where you can pay your bills. Get in the zone!

A Bit of Beauty – Though this isn’t an organization tip, it’s a tip that will help beautify your organized space. Bring a bit of beauty into a room with a scented candle or fresh flowers. A vase full of greens cut from your own back yard can bring life to a room.

Organizing the Family
If you have a busy, bustling family with multiple schedules, you may find organizing your family can be challenging. Kids bring home paper from school every day. There are everyone’s weekly obligations (soccer, ballet, school play, scout meetings, band, etc.), not to mention that of the adults in the household. How do you manage it all?

The Family Binder – I started doing this years ago, before they became popular on the organization scene. Our family binder organizes everyone – me, my husband, Soleil and Eliana. Each person gets a tabbed divider labeled with their name. When important papers come home from school, they go into the Family Binder behind that child’s name. No more “Where is my lunch calendar, Mom?” for us! My husband printed out fantasy football stats and left it out. When he couldn’t find it, he knew where to look. It was in the Family Binder. We also have a section for menus – all our favorite restaurants are organized inside.

Computerized Schedules – Consider switching to a computerized calendar – you can print out a hard copy for everyone to see. My husband and I both use Outlook. When an important date comes up, one of us calendars it and sends the other an invitation to the event. We keep track of household appointments (plumber, electrician, etc.), PTA meetings, and all the kids’ activities this way. You can use Google’s free calendar and share the calendar with several family members.
http://www.google.com/calendar/render

Purge the Paper – It’s tempting to bring home everything your children create in school. Don’t! Toss weekly work – keep test papers if you must. Be selective about your child’s artwork. Create a place for rotating artwork (the fridge or create a “portfolio” to display your child’s artwork on the coffee table). Frame your child’s art and hang it in his/her room or the playroom. Special cards, letters, awards and certificates can go in a “memory box.” Purge the memory box at the end of the year, keeping only the best and most special items.

There is a Shaker saying that a friend of mine taught me, “If it can be put down, it can be put up.” Put up the clutter; don’t put up with the clutter! This is your year to get organized and energized. Here’s to beautiful spaces. Here’s to beautiful you!

Friends:

Spring is around the corner! We can look forward to blossoms and butterflies. This is one of my favorite crafts to do with kids. It’s the classic coffee filter butterfly. It’s simple and fun. I think I learned this from Girl Scouts or summer camp when I was a child.

Materials needed for two butterflies:

1 paper plate
2 coffee filters
2 clothes or doll pins
water-based markers
spray bottle of water
adhesive magnets (optional)
googly eyes (optional)

Step 1 - Flatten a coffee filter on top of a paper plate and create a design using water-based colored markers.

Step 2 - Using a spray bottle, spray the entire coffee filter with water, being sure to spray evenly and thoroughly. It will allow the ink to spread, creating a “tie-die” effect.

Step 3 - Flatten another coffee filter. Using the second coffee filter as a blotter, press it firmly on top of the colored coffee filter. The excess moisture and color will be absorbed into the second coffee filter.

Step 4 and the final step - Gather the coffee filters in the middle creating accordion pleats to create “wings.” Pinching the pleats tightly, open a clothes pin and wedge the wings as far back as possible. If you are working with small children, you may want to help with this step. The clothes pin can unexpectedly snap shut if not held firmly. Feel free to color the “body” of the butterfly and glue on googly eyes. You can also add an adhesive magnet to the bottom to make a “butterfly fridge magnet.”

May your wings take you to new heights!

Warmly, Dianne

These Valentine cards are fun and simple. Trace a hand (I like a child’s hand but your own works well too) onto construction paper folded in half. That way, you’ll get two Valentines with one cut. Cut out a heart to glue in the palm of each hand. Write a word on each finger (five words) such as:

Will You Be Mine Valentine?
I Love You Sweet Valentine!
Valentine You Have My Heart!

On the back of the hand, write any of the following, or make up your own:

Valentine, hands down, you are the best!
Valentine, my heart is in your hands.
I can count on each finger the ways I love you. (Write qualities on each finger – fun, smart, sweet, loving, kind, etc.)
Valentine, you deserve a high five!
Give yourself a hand, Valentine! Be mine!

Have fun with these “hand-made” Valentine cards. Give these out and you’ll be sure to receive thunderous applause!

Warmly, Dianne

Friends:

Today is the first Friday of Lent. In the Catholic tradition, we don’t eat meat on Fridays. So my family requested one of their favorite recipes, my original Tomato Basil Bisque. It is delicious and hearty. Without the addition of half-n-half, it can also be a very diet-friendly recipe.

Tomato Basil Bisque by Dianne de Las Casas

Ingredients:
20 medium-size vine-ripened tomatoes or 25 ripe roma tomatoes, diced into small cubes
1 c. water
4 boullion cubes
2 tubs of ready-made pesto
1/2 c. grated aged parmesan cheese
1 c. grated Italian blend cheeses
1 c. half-n-half
1 tbsp. dry basil
1 tbsp. garlic powder
3 heaping tbsp. minced garlic
Box of cheese straws
1 tsp. white pepper
Salt to taste

Preparation:
In a large pot, sautee’ minced garlic in a little extra virgin olive oil for about a minute or two. Add diced tomatoes and cook down until there is a visible amount of liquid in the pot. Add 1 cup of water and the four boullion cubes. Add all the dry ingredients. Let simmer for about 15 minutes. Then add the cheeses and pesto. Puree’ the soup with a Thunder Stick or in a blender. Once the mixture is pureed, add the half-n-half, stirring it and mixing it well. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to marry and the bisque to thicken. Salt to taste.

Serve hot, garnished with shredded cheese on top and cheese straws. A side salad makes a nice accompaniment. I like to leave the bisque chunky (with the basil and tomato skins inside). You can opt to strain it although I find it loses some of its character and flavor. It’s a delicious meal perfect for a chilly day. Makes 20 servings so you can feed a large group or save some for lunch! It would be perfect with a grilled cheese sandwich! Mmmmm.

Friends,

Eliana, my 7 year old, is a bundle of creative energy. She loves to recycle old materials and turn them into new treasures. Today was a “lazy” day in that we stayed home all day (last day of the Mardi Gras holiday). So Eliana took her saved aluminum cans and toilet paper rolls and went to work. All of her industrious inventiveness was unbeknownst to me - she did the work by herself. She “unveiled” her grand plan after dinner, showing the family the frame of what was to become a bicycle for her bear, Butterscotch. Armed with only aluminum cans, toilet paper tubes, tape, and her imagination, she created what I dubbed the “Recycle Cycle.” Take a look…

The bicycle is complete with wheels, handle bars, and even pedals. I love how unencumbered children’s imaginations are! The bicycle won’t last long (it’s not even Duck tape) but the memory of her achievement sure will. Here’s to unleashing the imagination and “recycling” creativity! Butterscotch will cycle his way to new adventures. Where will your imagination take you?

Warmly, Dianne