Home Show

This weekend I'm at the Home Show again and I'm presenting three workshops! This is a great opportunity...if it results in paying clients! I'm off to try and finish my PowerPoint on Organizing Your Closets and Garage.

It's great to meet people but the weekend is sooo long. Tomorrow I'm at my booth from 9am - 8pm. Gack!

Staples

So Staples wants to know what you think of their new commercial "The Wall". There's also a great time wasting game to pitch the Chinese emporer in the commercial over the Great Wall. $1,000 Staples card to the highest score.

Thoughts for Damn Smart, Amazing, Good Looking Women!

Today is International Very Good Looking, Damn Smart Woman's Day (probably not but it sounds good!). If you are reading this, assume you are a Very Good Looking, Damn Smart woman.


A man's got to do what a man's got to do. A woman must do what he can't.
-Rhonda Hansome-


The phrase "working mother" is redundant.
-Jane Sellman-


Every time I close the door on reality, it comes in through the windows.
-Jennifer Unlimited-


Whatever women must do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.
-Charlotte Whitton-


Thirty-five is when you finally get your head together and your body starts falling apart.
-Caryn Leschen-


I try to take one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once.
-Jennifer Unlimited-


If you can't be a good example -- then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.
-Catherine-


If high heels were so wonderful, men would still be wearing them.
-Sue Grafton-


When women are depressed they either eat or go shopping. Men invade another country.
-Elayne Boosler-


Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.
-Maryon Pearson-


In politics, if you want anything said, ask a man. If you want anything done, ask a woman.
-Margaret Thatcher-



I have yet to hear a man ask for advice on how to combine marriage and a career.
-Gloria Steinem-


Nobody can make you feel inferior without your permission.
-Eleanor Roosevelt-

Free Autograph to all Critics

Here's my (almost) final draft of the organizing article. All that remains is honest feedback from my closest web buddies!

Getting Organized

How do you get organized? First do a bit of mental organizing to get yourself ready. Pick a specific area to start organizing. Organizing the whole house is too overwhelming. Instead focus on one shelf or closet or room.

Next, picture the area in your mind and then picture the area as you want it to be – organized and clutter free. Lock that finished picture in your mind and draw your inspiration from it!

There’s no magic to choosing where you start. Pick a smaller, easier job to build your confidence and keep focused on that one job until you’re finished. Then move on to the next area.

Sort items into similar categories – similar sized clothing, hardware, computer accessories, etc. As you sort through your items ask yourself if you really need to keep it. Do you like that picture frame from your aunt? Do you love how you look in that dress? Do you really need 25 empty milk jugs?

Items that you don’t need to keep can be trashed, boxed and saved for a yard sale, or donated to charity. There are many organizations that appreciate quality used items but go ahead and sort out the broken, stained, ripped and torn items and donate the best.

Choose where each category of items are to be stored. All holiday items in the garage? All the light bulbs in the pantry? All the books in the bookshelf? As you sort through each area, keep Like with Like and store similar items all in one place.

Often items need some sort of container to keep them together. A small jar for thumbtacks. An under bed rolling storage unit for wrapping paper and supplies. A basket for electronic remotes. Hooks for purses, coats and backpacks. There are lots of fun options available to containerize every area of your home.

Remember your mental picture? How did you do? Follow these steps for each area of your home to enjoy the peace and comfort of living in your own organized space.

Great Opportunity!

The local monthly entertainment magazine has asked me to write a monthly column on organization! Isn't that sooooo cool!??!

So, if you were to read a short article on how to get organized, what would you want to know? Newbie writer want to make a good impression and needs your help ASAP! Article is due the 14th!

Chemical Trail

Has anyone out there ever actually used up a 4lb box of baking soda? Did you even know you could buy that big of a box of baking soda?

Well, it seems as if I have finally conquered the evil moth ball odor - 4lbs of baking soda and 1gal of white vinegar later! Fortunately, baking soda and white vinegar are very cheap. (or it would have been cheaper to buy new blankets JD!)

The blankets passed a sniff test by my 10 and 9 year old friends who I trust not to hold back their true feelings on the subject. They were the ones who told me my house smelled "weird" when I first brought the blankets in.

I have failed to remove the oder from the waterproof mattress pad though. That thing still stinks to high heaven. I'll leave it to air out for another week and maybe it'll be better. If not, I'm returning it to my mom (who gave me all this stuff for free in the first place.)

Guess What?!?!

I just did something so completely out of character... I went to a singles gathering! Strangers!- I went to a new restaurant, unannounced, not knowing anybody!

I'm so proud of myself! I guess it sometimes pays to not think too much!

There were 7 people gathered for dinner. Another guy was also new. Mostly older folks. But a very nice chat and I think I might attend the Sunday morning breakfast.

It seems to be a really active group - meeting 3-4 times a week. They said between 12-30 people show up for each event. The email notices get sent to 350 people.

Such an interesting thing for me to do! Maybe I'll make some new friends!

How To

How to remove mothball odor from vellux blankets:

1. Wash in hot water with double soap and Clorox II.
2. Repeat.
3. Dry with Bounce sheet.
4. Test smell the blanket. Gag.
5. Double bag the blankets in black garbage bags and toss onto patio.
6. Ignore the bags for a week.
7. Add activated charcoal and a Bounce sheet to the bags.
8. Ignore the bags through wind, rain and storm for a few more weeks.
9. Kick your roommate out.
10. Test smell the blankets. Gag.
11. Air out the blankets on the patio fence and improvised clothes line for two days.
12. Wash in double soap, double Clorox II, 1 cup of vinegar and 1/2 cup baking soda. Let soak for at least two hours.
13. TSTB. G.
14. Fill the washer again increasing the vinegar and baking soda. Let soak overnight.
15. Wash as normal.
16. TSTB. Possible improvement.
17. Dry with two sheets of Bounce.
18. TSTB. Wrinkle nose quizically at the faint mothball-strong Bounce odor.
19. Air out the blankets for another couple days.
20. TBD (will report later)

SciFi

They stand in line in front of the golden door. No one talks. The golden door opens silently and the line proceeds forward. The door closes. Those left in front of the door wait. The door opens again to reveal the now empty chamber. Once again the line presses forward.

Inside the chamber, the people crowd together yet never touch. The golden door closes. Machinery sounds...

And someone to the side snickers...and the entire elevator of prospective jurors starts laughing as we all realize we felt strangely caught up in the same B-movie, scifi plot.

To Remember

Things not to do at a client's house:

1 - test spray a small can of an unknown substance with a worn lable only to more closely peer at the lable and read "Attack Dog Spray".

2 - smile and say you're fine while coughing, wheezing and sniffling.