Productive & Organized Home

14 Inexpensive or Free Organizing Tools for Your Home

Reuse and Recycle!  I bet you have a number of organizing products/tools right in your home and don't even know it.  Today I'm going to share 14 ideas you can use.

Easy Solutions to Organize the Legos in Your Home

Do your or your children's Legos look like that picture?  Legos can be a bunch of fun, or they can be a royal pain!  The good news is that there are some easy solutions to help you turn a mess into a system that is fun and manageable. 

Recently, the topic of Lego organizing came up on one of the organizing groups I belong to and I learned that organizer moms have their own techniques for keeping the tiny plastic pieces contained and ready for play at any time. I'm sharing their ideas with you today.

Could you live with just 72 things?

I was reading this post today: Living with 72 Things and wanted to share it with you to get your perspective.  Tammy and her husband have eliminated almost everything from their material lives and blog about living a simple life.  About two years ago they began letting go of things.  To date, they have let go of so many items that they have moved to a less expensive, much smaller home.  Read Tammy's post and come back here to tell me what you think!

To your success!

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How to Store Extra Artwork in Your Home

One of our readers, Kathleen from Dallas TX, asked us the following question:

"Hi.  My name is Kathleen and my husband and I are great lovers of art.  We own a number of paintings.  Actually, we own more paintings than we have walls.  I enjoy rotating them throughout the year.  I like matching our art with the seasons and holidays.  The problem comes in with storage.  Any ideas on how I can store the pieces that I don't have displayed?"

Kathleen, I sure do!  I asked my colleagues to share their thoughts, so keep reading and pick the solution that works the best for you.

Teaching a Child to be Organized

I love teacher conferences.  It helps me and my child's teacher communicate what we need to teach my child.  Well, funny thing happened my last conference. 

7 Ideas for Handling an Overabundance of Bathroom Products (lotion, sanitizer, perfume, etc.)

Do you have a plethora of bathroom products?

A Reader Writes:

I'm looking for ideas to help my mother.  She is 65 years old and has a HUGE collection of personal products in her bathroom and linen closet.  Most of them are unopened and expensive (she got them as gifts) so she does not want to throw them out.  But, she will never use all of it and her space is filled to the brim.  Is there any place that would like this kind of stuff?
Thanks!
MaryAnne -- Jacksonville Florida USA

MaryAnne- Yes!  I've listed seven options and I bet my readers will have ideas too.

Quiz: What is Your Learning Style? Take this Quiz & Find Out! (via @hellenbuttigieg)

I have been studying learning styles for the past 15+ years and know that when you understand your learning style you can make all kinds of amazing things happen!  My colleague, Hellen Buttigieg, has created a great quiz that will help you figure out your learning style. 

Reserve about 10-15 minutes (it took me 8) and take the quiz below.  If you see more than one answer that applies, pick the one that best reprisents you.

Determine Your Learning Style » Quiz Question Maker

Want to learn more?

If you like the idea of using your learning style to figure out how to organize, then I encourage you to consider reading Hellen's book, "Organizing Outside the Box."  The secret — as revealed in this clear, concise, and compelling book — is to organize according to your natural, preferred learning style. Organizing Outside the Box will help you to:

• Determine whether you are a visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learner
• Pick the filing, storage, and organizing systems that fit your learning style
• Overcome feelings of frustration, anxiety, and overload
• Organize your thoughts and unleash your creative potential
• Run a  more efficient home and office by understanding the preferred organizing styles of family and co-workers.

Comment and Share!

Did you take the quiz?  What did you learn?  What kind of learner are you?  Let us know below.

Like what you've read?  Then share it with your friends!  Just click the buttons at the end of this post to share with those you care about.

To your success!

PS -- If you've enjoyed this post and want to see more, why not subscribe to our daily emails (Feedblitz) or through the RSS Feed (click here)?  Or, follow us on Twitter!  Or connect on Facebook!

Order Helps Build Better Readers

I was reading my copy of Working Mother Magazine today and came across an article that I wanted to share with you.  The article was "Family Focus - Order Helps Readers."  The tag line read:
 
How getting organized will help your kid become a stronger student. 
 
  

6 Tips to Feel Beautiful Today!

The other day I started working with a new client on her overabundance of paper.  Paper had essentially taken over her home... couches, beds, floors, kitchen counters, etc. were covered in paper.  As we worked through the day we explored why the paper accumulated and ultimately we decided it was because of her opinion of herself.  Really!  Over the years, life crashed down on her and she began to feel that she was not worthwhile or lovable.  That belief led to chronic clutter. 

Clutter is often a symptom of something else going on deep inside your mind.  You may not know that you even have the feelings.  Today, I asked my friend Sarah Maria to share some tips on how you can feel beautiful again.  Read it, try it and let me know what you think!