De-clutter Equals De-Stress

Posted on January 6, 2011 by viviankirkfield

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Did you know that living in a cluttered environment actually adds to your stress level?

It’s doubly hard for me because I would like to be organized and live more minimalistically, but my husband is a collector…of many things! Books, all things flyfishing, art supplies (he has taken up painting and is really very good). So you can imagine how difficult it is to keep things neat and in their proper places because we have so much STUFF that we sometimes run out of the proper places and stuff winds up on tables, chairs…even the back of the couch! If this sounds familiar, maybe the list of books below will help.

I am always waiting for the BIG block of time to REALLY get organized 🙂 but I think the secret is to simply make a decision to DO IT and when you have an hour or a half hour, clear one drawer or one table and just keep at it. Even if it takes a month or more, eventually you will be more organized and surrounded by less clutter. AHHHHHHHH!

There are hundreds of books available on organizing and cleaning up clutter. I’ve listed just a few you might want to get from the library or bookstore if you’ve decided to organize and want some more direction. Some of the books listed are geared for homes with children…children definitely benefit from living in an organized environment also! You can also go online and find a wealth of ideas.

1. Helping Kids Get Organized – Activities That Teach Time Management, Clutter Clearing, Project Planning and More by Robyn Freedman Spizman

2. Organized Kidz: E-Z solutions for Clutter-Free Living by Debbie and David Williams

3. Stop Clutter From Wrecking Your Family: Organize Your Children, Spouse and Home by Mike Nelson

4. Organized Living: Clutter Clearing Strategies and Creative Storage Solutions by Dawne Walter and Helen Chislett

My husband asked me the other day what my New Year’s resolutions were…now I know. In addition to trying to blog EVERY day with something of value, I am going to take my own advice and grab an hour or half hour every day and clear out one drawer, cabinet, counter or whatever…I promise to blog in a month and update everyone with my progress.

How to keep your house clean and green

Posted on August 10, 2010 by viviankirkfield

You are probably going through your child’s clothes right now, weeding out the items that have been outgrown. Perhaps we can apply that same concept to our cleaning supply shelf. Haven’t we outgrown the toxic-to-our-children-and-the planet, chemical-laden glass cleaners, bathroom scrubs and dusting sprays. I looked in my cleaning supply cabinet the other day and I was horrified to find cans and bottles of cleaning supplies that I don’t use anymore (having gone “cleaning green” a while back), but had not gotten around to trashing. And throwing this stuff out is a whole other issue…you can’t (or shouldn’t) just dump these items in the garbage. Many communities have drop off locations or special dates where residents can bring these toxic supplies for safe removal – I wonder if there is any safe way to dispose of some of this stuff.

Cleaning green is not difficult – and in addition to being so much better for your family’s health and the planet’s survival, it is also CHEAPER! White vinegar, baking soda and lemon juice…the triumverate of being green and clean!

Here are a few simple “recipes” for some basic cleaning solutions:

GLASS/HARD SURFACE CLEANER: Combine 1/2 cup white vinegar with a gallon of water. Soak your cloth, ring it out and wipe surfaces. Dry with a clean cloth.
FABRIC SOFTENER: Add 1/4 cup white vinegar to final rinse cycle of your washing machine.
DUSTING MAGIC: Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1 tsp olive oil in a clean glass jar or spray bottle. Apply a little to your dusting cloth and wipe down your wooden furniture.
ALL-PURPOSE CLEANSER: Mix 1/2 cup pure soap (such as Castile), 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 gallon hot water for dishes, countertops, floors and walls.
BATHROOM TUB AND TILE CLEANER: Combine 1 part water and 3 parts baking soda for an awesome grout and soap scum cleaner.

Now, I’m not saying you should leave these cleaning supplies around for your preschooler to play with. However, unless your child drinks the bucket of all-purpose cleanser or sprays the dusting magic solution in his eyes, you will be able to rest a lot easier as your house shines and you, your family and the planet take a breath of less polluted air. One person can make a difference. Why not get started?

Please post comments with your own green cleaning solutions.

Carpet installation fiasco

Posted on July 23, 2010 by viviankirkfield

At 9am this morning, there was a knock on the door. It was our carpet installers, here to install new carpeting for our downstairs floors. For the past week, I had been working like a mad-man (or mad-woman) to clear off tables, empty bookcases and clean out cabinets so that the installers would be able to move the furniture in preparation to laying the carpeting. Of course, it doesn’t help that our furniture is HUGE, a carryover from our days in a 14 room house. Even though we sold, gave away, threw away LOTS of STUFF when we downsized to a small 6 room townhome, everything we have is BIG.

After the carpet installers came in, they spent an hour moving much of the furniture to other places (outside patio, garage) and they began measuring the floor so they could determine how the carpet should be laid. When they went out to their truck to call the carpet store and were gone for quite a while, we began to worry. And, as it turns out, we had good reason to worry. When they returned, it was to tell us that the man who had done the measuring (from the carpet store) had under-measured the length of the living room by 2 feet!!!!!! So, they had to move back all of the furniture and the carpet store is ordering a new length of carpet to be laid next Tuesday. How frustrating! Will I put back all of the books, knickknacks, and other STUFF that I had boxed up and put in the garage? You bet I won’t!

I’ll wait at least until the carpet is down on the floor. And maybe, if we haven’t needed the STUFF by then, we actually don’t need it at all.

That’s one way to get rid of clutter!

I’d love to hear other carpet installation horror stories…perhaps it will make me feel better.