Organizing ANY space can be a challenge — but if you live in a particularly small space {condo, apartment, dorm room, etc.} it can be EVEN trickier.
If your small space is feeling cramped, crowded, and cluttered, here are 5 tips that should help!
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Inspiration for Our Kitchen Renovation!
Dave and I are already starting to make plans for a massive kitchen/dinning room renovation we hope to start and finish this summer {with the help of my dad and many others I’m sure}!
I’ll be sharing more photos, ideas, and details in the months leading up to our renovation… but right now, we’re still in the “dreaming” stage and trying to decide what we want to incorporate into our new kitchen. Here are a few pictures of what my dream kitchen might look like!
Increase Your Productivity at Home and at Work
Each month, I write a few posts for other blogs… and for the month of February, my guest posts were all about productivity {one of my favorite subjects!}
I talk a lot about productivity, time management, schedules, to-do lists, etc. etc. but there is ALWAYS so much more to say! So if you’re looking for a few more tips and ideas to help increase your productivity at home and at work, the links below are filled with helpful tips and suggestions!
Which “Green” Products are Worth the Extra Cost?
Now days, it seems like there is a new “green”, “natural”, “organic”, and/or “eco-friendly” alternative for every product on the market — and the main difference I see between these “green” products and the other “regular” products is the price! “Green” products ALWAYS seem to be more expensive!
I honestly don’t have enough information to know when it’s just a marketing ploy or when it’s “for real” — so I’m wondering what your thoughts are about paying more for “green”?
Hearty Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup
Soup is my go-to meal option , especially during cooler months, as it’s an easy and frugal way to get a hearty meal on the table using whatever I have in the house!
This sausage and cheese tortellini soup is so delicious and filling… and yes, it taste wonderful as leftovers (so make a double batch!)
SIMPLE Tips to Get Organized
As the name of my website suggests, I’m all about keeping things as SIMPLE as possible — especially when it comes to getting organized.
Getting {and staying} organized might not be “easy” but it IS relatively “simple”. However if you are still feeling overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, I have a few “SIMPLE” tips that might just help!
My Favorite WordPress Plugins
One of my favorite things about using Wordpress as my blogging platform is the ability to quickly and easily customize my site with the thousands of free plugins available.
I have usually have around 15 plugins activated at any given time, and I love them all… here are some of my all-time favorites!
Gearing Up for Garage Sale Season
Yes, I know, it’s only the middle of February — however, if you are serious about having a successful garage sale this spring, you should start planning now!
I’ve been to hundreds of garage sales, yard sales, estate sales, second hand sales, new-to-you sales, mom-to-mom sales, etc. etc. and in my opinion, there are a few things you can do NOW to make sure your sale is a success… and it really won’t take that much time or effort!
How the iPhone Saved My Productivity
Dave and I recently renewed our 2-year cell phone contracts… and we both got iPhones! Yes, it was totally against our ultra-frugal nature, but I have to say, the iPhone has completely saved any shred of productivity I had left after Nora arrived!
Now, 2 months later, I would honestly say that these iPhones are one of our best purchases. I can’t believe we lived without them for so long!
Organizing a Refrigerator by Temperature
Several weeks ago we started having major issues with our refrigerator; and as we were trying to fix the issues, I noticed that the top shelf of our refrigerator was 10-12 degrees warmer than the bottom drawers — and the same was true for the freezer!
Now that things are “fixed” I decided to reorganize our refrigerator by temperature… and I can’t believe the difference it has made in the freshness of our food!
Motherhood: The Most Difficult Job I’ve Ever Had
I’m the type of person who likes to be good at everything I do. I’m a fast learner, I work really hard, I’m willing to do things I don’t want to do, make sacrifices, deal with difficult situations, push myself to be better… and I LOVE a challenge. So I should excel at motherhood… right?
But for some reason, I feel like I’m barely staying afloat. After 13 weeks, I’m still quite overwhelmed, and have decided to give in to my new little “boss” who now seems to run the show over at the Dekker house!
The Best Apple Cake!
It’s honestly the BEST apple cake/bread I’ve ever made! It tasted absolutely delicious plain {for breakfast} and with a dollop of whipped cream {for dessert}! And even though I cut out some of the fat by replacing half the oil with my homemade applesauce, this cake was still SO moist and very dense with a grand total of FIVE chopped up apples!
I think this might be my new “go-to” recipe for apples… I only wish I didn’t have to wait until next Fall to have a great selection of fresh Michigan apples!
Creative Office Organization
Working in an organized space will not only help you to be more efficient and more productive — it will also help you to enjoy the time you spend in your office area!
Whether you work in a big corner office, the back bedroom of your house, your car, or even a tray table in your living room, there are plenty of creative ways you can better organize your office space… and I’m sharing a bunch of them today!
My Bathroom Cleaning Bucket
Despite my best attempts to keep my cleaning supplies simple and organized, they were starting to pile up again… and I wanted to do something about it. Plus I was just in the mood for a quick organizing project 🙂
So a couple weeks ago, I got to work organizing our cleaning supplies and purging anything I wasn’t using. I also created a new bathroom cleaning bucket — which has saved me so much time already!
Yummy Brownie/Cookie Bars
Quick and Easy Chicken Wire Frame
A few years ago, I was trying to come up with a creative way to all the Christmas cards we had received… AND I was looking for a decorative piece to go above our piano. I wanted something that was inexpensive and I wanted it ASAP.
I found a huge frame on the 90% off rack of a local craft store and in about 15 minutes, I turned it into a fantastic {and functional} piece for our home!
How Do You STAY Organized?
One of the most often asked questions I get from frustrated readers and clients is “How do I KEEP things organized?”
And although I can give you lots of tips and suggestions for different ways to stay organized, my simple sollution is to practice daily maintenance. Today, I’m sharing a few simple ways to help you to just that.
Tracking Your Time
Since I work for a handful of other companies, blogs, websites, etc. it’s important for me to accurately track all my “billable hours” so I know how much to invoice the people I work for. However, I also like to track the time I spend on my own website so I know where all the hours in my day are going… and if it’s all worth it!
Today I’m sharing the simple method I use for tracking my time and how it helps increase my efficiency.