Month: September 2017

Preparing Your Kitchen for Fall and the Autumn Holidays

Though we’ve enjoyed some warm sunny weather this week here in the Seattle area, autumn is approaching soon! Time to get our kitchens ready for the busy fall baking, cooking and holiday season. Especially for those of you who cook, bake and entertain frequently!

Here are some of my favorite tips for getting our kitchens ready for autumn:

Cooking Light recommends a fall shopping list; the perfect autumn fridge contents; and then presents several fall recipes.

Food52 suggests 11 steps to take to prepare your kitchen for autumn. (I think the most important one is the first – sort through your pantry and get rid of expired items!)

Speaking of the pantry, here’s Real Simple’s article called “Purge your Pantry.”

There are also some helpful kitchen preparation tips at The Culinary Exchange.

Lovely Living has a four post series on preparing your kitchen for Fall: Part 1 – Overall, Part 2 – Refrigerator and Cupboards; Part 3 – Pantry, and Part 4 – Kitchen Appliances.

Lastly, 10 Steps to an Organized Kitchen isn’t specific to autumn, but are good ideas to keep in mind.

Need help getting your kitchen ready for the busy autumn season? Contact me to schedule an appointment!

-Angie

Late September’s Organizing Links Roundup

“Decluttering What Matters” is a thought-provoking article on organizing your papers, documents and files, especially in case an emergency happens to you.

Loving this article with decluttering tips from Australian organizing expert Anita Burges: “Items You Should Never Have in Your House at Each Age.”

For example, in your thirties, “Don’t have a futon in your home anymore – you need to look after your bones and you need to be supporting your body with good furniture.”

Huffington Post includes a cluttered home in their list of 5 Stupidly Simple Things That Are Messing With Your Mental Health.

This interesting article from Bulbul Mankani in India suggests six decluttering tips.

The Gauntlet helps college students learn to destress by decluttering their space.

Lisa Woodruff offers 5 Tips for Getting Organized When Depressed.

The personal finance section of The Globe and Mail offers a few tips on downsizing for older couples.

This won’t apply to everyone, but I got a kick out of reading How to Organize Your Geeky Stuff and Make Your Home Feel More “Grown-Up.”

And finally, CafeMom offers 7 Stylish & Functional Ways to Declutter Your Entryway. (My favorite tip is to “go vertical.”)

6 Tips for Preparing Your Hall Closet and Entryway for a Rainy Autumn

Summer is slowly winding down – soon autumn will be here, with its months of rainy shoes, dripping umbrellas and wet coats entering your house.

Get your entryway and coat closet ready with some of my favorite tips:

  1. Store frequently used items (wipes for boots or dog paws; scarves and throws) in neat fitting baskets at your front door for an easy-to-reach, attractive solution.

2. Install cubby shelves at eye level for keys, pet leashes, purses and lanyard badges.

3. If you live in a rainy climate, such as I do here in Seattle, store umbrellas by the door in an attractive holder.

4. Remove all unnecessary items from your coat closet. Inspect coats for wear and tear. Send any coats to the dry cleaner, as needed, before autumn begins. Have family members try on rain boots, shoes and5 . other items stored in the coat closet. Be sure you have room for visiting guests to hang up their coats.

5. Mount hooks on the inside of your coat closet for scarves and hats.

6. Store gloves and mittens in tidy, attractive baskets on a shelf near the top of your coat closet.

For more tips on organizing your coat closet, see these links:

A Little Coat Closet Refresh (I Heart Organizing)

Entryway Organizing Ideas (Martha Stewart)

Fresh Start: Coat Closet Organization (Apartment Therapy)

Organized Coat Closet Makeover (Organizing With Style)

Need help organizing your entryway, coat closet, guest closets or mudroom? Email abeaulac@aol.com to schedule an appointment with me!

The New Scandinavian Home Lifestyle Trend: Lagom

I’m a big fan of Hygge, the cozy Swedish way of warming your heart and home in winter. However, Hygge requires you to own (and store, and organize) quite a lot of extra things: Fuzzy blankets, candles, slippers, socks, books, etc.

So I’m a bit intrigued by Lagom, the new minimalism trend that’s getting a lot of attention here in the US.  Continue reading “The New Scandinavian Home Lifestyle Trend: Lagom”