Chaos to Calm
From the archives, for great-looking Easter eggs…fill a baby food jar with dye, then dip half of the egg in, and let it dry. Put a different-colored dye in the jar. Dip the egg again, but only one-third of it. Repeat with both ends of the egg until you have stripes in varying shades.
About De-clutter Me!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been changing chaos to calm since 2013.
As the holidays approach, let’s think about traveling with pets. A friend recently passed along some ideas that could help to keep Fido, Miss Kitty, other pets – and their human companions! – happy as all travel together.
Of course, if you’ll stay at another home, please check with your host(s) first. Are pets welcome? Is anyone allergic to them? This is important to know, to ensure a comfortable and nice visit for everyone, humans and non-humans alike.
Here are some other tips –
Photo credit to Emerson Peters through Unsplash.
Happy holidays, to you and your pets!
About De-clutter Me!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been changing chaos to calm since 2013.
An embarrassing fact – I’m terrible at carving pumpkins. Always have been, and likely will continue to be. Last year, I decided to try something different. Another admission – this is a recycled Timely Tip from last Halloween. Still relevant and, I hope, still useful. Continue reading “Halloween for the Jack-o’-Lantern-Challenged”
From the archives, here are a few quick tasks to delegate. Do you have kids? Maybe a few dollars will sweeten the request(s), or a promise not to nag about holiday-break homework until December 28.
Tweens focused on tech won’t mind typing addresses from incoming cards into a document or into your phone.
Do you still have some to send? Here’s a chance for your kids (who, again, might be more focused on texting) to practice their penmanship.
Older kids should be able to handle this pressing matter (bad pun alert!). No collars or angled seams. Easy!
It’s basically encouraging kids to spill and make a mess. Large plastic cups can work as scoops, so they don’t have to haul a heavy container around.
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.
As the pace of the holiday season picks up, your time might be getting used up fast, too. From the archives, here are some suggestions to save some time, and maybe some sanity, too.
For a laugh, from Erma Bombeck’s column, At Wit’s End, in October 1987. “My theory on housework is, if the item doesn’t multiply, smell, catch fire, or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one else cares. Why should you?” (Of course, I don’t agree with this, but I did laugh out loud when reading it recently. Here’s hoping you did, too.)
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.
They are suggestions we hear often. Some people groan, while others take them to heart, with gestures both large and small, benefiting us all. Please consider the following recommendations for the holidays and at other times of year. They provide a different twist on those three powerful words.
Americans gain an average of seven pounds during the holidays. Would it be possible to decrease your food and drink intake by some percentage, to make the scale’s upward creep less challenging? Stepping onto the scale on January 2nd might be a little less unpleasant.
This is not a grumpy curmudgeon’s instruction to only chew on carrot sticks and celery stalks at parties. Maybe reconsider the last glass of red wine and/or piece of dark chocolate. (They are reported to be good for the heart. Even so, that’s tough for me, too, since I consider them to be basic food groups!) Instead, you might drink an extra glass of water. Your body will be grateful, even if it can’t voice its appreciation.
Chatting with a swimming buddy about these three powerful words, Nina shared the following Tibetan proverb – The secret to living well and longer: eat half, walk double, laugh triple and love without measure.
If you exchange holiday presents, what to do with all of that newly-used wrapping paper? While it’s certainly responsible to recycle it, you also can use it again. How, since it might look less-than-wonderful now? If you have access to a shredder, run it through, then save it for padding when storing fragile ornaments. Or, if you’ll have to send boxed gifts in the near future, you might bag it for package padding when the time comes.
Another good reuse – unmatched socks. How does that happen, anyway? Does the washer eat a sock? Does the dryer hide one? Use unmatched socks as padding when packing delicate objects for shipping. Put fragile ornaments inside them for storage. Lastly, you also might wear unmatched socks together, even if only at home. Bonus points – it could make you laugh. (Think about the Tibetan proverb!)
Recycle yourself, by donating blood. As written previously, donation centers experience drops in contributions at this time of year, though the need remains constant. Even if you can’t stand needles, it’s not all that bad. It normally takes about an hour, and you’ll feel good for having done it – like voting! The Red Cross will be grateful for your help.
Happy holidays! May they bring you, and those dear to you, all that you wish, and more. Cheers!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.
As the holiday season quickly approaches, here are a few tips to save time now, and maybe a bit of sanity, too. From the archives –
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.
These days, there’s some conjecture about whether or not Halloween has become the second-most decorated holiday. Who really cares? It gives us opportunities to be creative and maybe also a bit outrageous.
Here’s a fun and incredibly inexpensive idea, from Amy Sedaris’s book I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence. The book is funny, creative and “spicy.” (Read: over-the-top and sassy.)
To make the Nosey Tissue Ghost, you’ll need two sheets of facial tissue. Lay one out flat, then ball up the other one and place it in the center of the flattened sheet. Use monofilament (clear fishing) line to tie the head off at the neck. Dot with a felt tipped pen to mark eyes. Using clear tape, attach some more line to the top of the head.
Where to hang it? From a tree, from a front porch ceiling, anywhere where it could cause a stir. Clear fishing line is especially good, because it’s strong and will help to make the ghost look like it’s flying through the air. The local hardware store sells 500 yards for $3.00. (Once added to your craft supplies stash, it’s likely to come in handy for other uses, too.)
A few hung together could be even better. Boo!
De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.
Admittedly, I’ve posted the following suggestions before. They’re still of use; at least, I think so. Happy holidays!
It’s the holiday season and all that goes along with it – happy gatherings, glorious music, decorations, lights and, of course, presents. Wearing my de-cluttering “hat,” here are some suggestions to perhaps decrease your own and perhaps others’ clutter, too.
Reduce. Many people already have enough stuff. What to give? For something memorable, how about something intangible, like a special restaurant meal, or an experience. Yes, this is a repeated idea, but still feels valid. Concert tickets? A hot air balloon ride? Or, how about an especially good bottle of wine, with the promise to share it over an equally impressive homemade meal, including a truly decadent dessert? A built-in bonus – time together which, in these increasingly busy times for many of us, is precious. Perhaps save this gift for the New Year, after all of the holiday busy-ness, when you might be able to relax and enjoy it more.
Reuse. Another reprised suggestion, but what to do with all of that newly-used wrapping paper? Sure, while responsible to recycle it, you also can use it again. How, since it might look less-than-wonderful now? If you have access to a shredder, run it through, then save it for padding when storing fragile ornaments. Or, if you’ll have to send boxed gifts in the near future and have storage space, you might bag it for when the time comes. Another easy reuse – as written, egg cartons are great to snugly store ornaments.
Recycle. Yourself. Yes, by donating blood, also suggested before. Donation centers experience drops in contributions at this time of year, though the need remains constant. Even if you can’t stand needles, and I’m no fan, it’s not all that bad. It normally takes ~45 minutes, and you’ll feel good for having done it – like voting! The Red Cross will be grateful for your help.
A few days ago, I read some magazine tips about saving space in the fridge, which can get so packed during the holiday season. To keep condiments upright and to prevent mess, place them in a six-pack holder on the door. Leftover casseroles? Layer them, with cutting boards or cookie sheets between the containers. To use freezer space well, a basic desk sorter (a base with vertical dividers) can hold packages of meat, veggies and other frozen foods. That could leave space for bulkier items, like bagged ice, frozen desserts, breads, etc.