NEAT & SIMPLE LIVING

Keeping Your Children Safe - Free Tools!

Many years ago I had a dream to create a non-profit organization to provide educational resources to families to help keep kids safe and prevent child abuse.  Well I didn't go that route (though I do try to educate families via this blog) so the next best thing I can do is tell you about this brilliant resource created by a retired cop who was the Sexual Predator Coordinator for Broward County, FL.  He has created an AWESOME Squidoo lens providing links to many FREE resources to educate parents and help parents educate their kids. It was created in support of the Polly Klaas Foundation which is "Dedicated to the Safety of All Children."

See http://www.squidoo.com/pollyklaas/yourchildsafetykits

How long ago did you water your plants, change your AC air filter, or change the litter box?

If you have no idea when the last time was you watered your plants, or changed your AC filter, you might be a good candidate for this little gadget. The DaysAgo Digital Day Counter is a digital day counter that attaches to a variety of surfaces with a magnetic  or suction backing and counts up to 99 days. You can use it on food containers to let you know how many days ago you opened it.

Personally, I water my plants when the tops look dry, and I change the litter box completely when it starts to smell. And believe me, with three cats, I scoop every day so I know when scooping just isnt' good enough to keep it clean smelling anymore! : )

What do you think? Is this gadget a must have for some ToDo on your list?

The Face Behind the Blog - A Personal Memorial Day Tribute

I'm participating in David Airey’s meme - The Face Behind the Blog which was brought to my attention by my dear blogging friend Wendy Piersall  I love when bloggers reveal more of their personal lives, like this awesome post by Wendy Can You Be Vulnerable and Still Run a Business?   

So I'm going to join in and share with you that over the last couple weeks we have experienced the loss of both of my husband's grandmothers.  These phenomenal women were both in their late 90's and were surrounded with loved ones when they passed after long illnesses.  I only wish I could have known them both as my husband knew them when they were younger and more active.  But even so, it was a pleasure to know them both.  So here is my little tribute to them. 

This is "Gertie" (or Big G as she called herself) last Christmas after she moved into the nursing home.  That's me and my awesome husband, Alan with her.  I have to say that, even though I was with both of my grandmothers when they passed, I have never experienced such an amazing tribute as that which was paid to her.  For 3 days, there were many friends and family in the hospital with her as she neared the end.  Many of us were there at the end as well. This vigil was followed by 3 more days of family reunion, wake and funeral.   

Her son Al, and his wife Maureen took such awesome care of her and arranged a wonderful celebration of her life.  Maureen reads my blog all the time and I just want to tell her how much I appreciate her and how much Alan & I appreciate everything she sacrificed over the past 10 years to take care of Gertie.  And how much we appreciate all the time and effort she and Al put into making the family reunion events so memorable.  Maureen, You are the Best!  ; )

Alan's other grandmother, Carmen was a "feisty old broad"  right up to the end.  Even at 95 years old, she was in relatively good health and was only taking one prescription!  She lost her husband many years ago and never quite got over the loss, so I know she is happy to be with him again.

Here is the last photo we have of her in good health from our family reunion with Alan's mom's side of the family last summer in VA. She lived in Virginia so we didn't get to see her often.

We will miss both of them but will always remember and celebrate the long and full lives they had. And of course I have to always bless them for making it possible for me to have my husband who I adore madly and can't imagine living without. 

With lots of Love, Blessings & Peace...

Won't you share in the meme and leave a comment here so we can share your Face Behind the Blog?

Hope for Compulsive Shopping - Just do MORE of it!? : )

Dr. Amie Ragan of The Psychology of Clutter blog wrote this brilliant post on how she helped a client who couldn't pass up a bargain and cluttered her home and closets with all the "treasures".  She used a technique called therapeutic paradox or paradoxical intention.

If you've struggled with compulsive shopping or excessive compulsive cluttering, Read all about it here!

Here are a couple other GREAT blogs dealing with the underlying emotional side of letting go of clutter.

• The Thoughtful Consumer by Cynthia Friedlob
• It's not about your stuff! by Jessica Duquette

Free Tools for Organizing Your Finances & Bill Paying

One of the popular services I offer is Financial Organizing. As part of the service I provide a neat little spreadsheet I developed that I call the Neat Living Money Master.  It's almost perfect enough to offer to the public but not yet.  I'm putting in lots of instructions and trying to make it as user friendly as possible before I put it out there. In the meantime, I found this great post over at the ever awesome Zen Habits blog with links a wide array of FREE tools for organizing your finances. 

I use Quickbooks Simple Start (see my review of this here), Excel, PayPal, Credit Cards & online banking.  I mention Credit Cards because we put ALL personal expenses on one card and business on another and track them regularly online.   And we pay them in full every month.  We have a monthly credit card spending limit and that works great for us.   Easy too!  We also juggle 0% credit card offers which have helped us pay off half of our home improvement loan in the last 3 years without paying any interest at all.  We've saved nearly $4000 since the interest was well over $100 per month.  All that money went to reduce the principal balance instead!

Related Neat Living Posts:

• How I got out of $25,000 in debt 
• 25 Ways I Save Money
• All Financial Organizing Posts

My Favorite Frugal Living Blog:  Frugal for Life

What tools & strategies do you use to keep your spending under control? 

Update to Digital Camera with a Wide Angle Lens for Taking Real Estate or Room Makeover Pictures?

Many thanks to Brandie Kajino from Organize Simplify for commenting and letting us know that there are 2 other affordable digital cameras with wide angle zoom lenses!  Here is my original digital camera review post, luckily I haven't purchased the Kodak Easy Share v705 7.1 megapixel 5x ultra wide angle Dual Lens optical zoom yet!

Here are the 2 new contenders

1) The Canon PowerShot SD800 with 3.8x Wide Angle Image-Stabilized Optical Zoom

At around $300 the Canon PowerShot SD800 is similar to the others, and it has received very good reviews from Digital Photography Review and CNET.com  (7.8 out of 10)

2) The  Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01  It looks great too.  It come in colors including pink!   Here's a review of it from Digital Photography Review.   http://www.dpreview.com/news/0602/06021404panasonicfx01.asp

This is a much tougher decision now! 

Looking for a Digital Camera with a Wide Angle Lens for Taking Real Estate or Room Makeover Pictures?

Me too!  I've been looking for a wide angle camera to take pix of the rooms I work on.  Fellow professional organizer, Sarah Roberts, from Texas, discovered the RealPIX at $299.   

I like the Realpix because it's true that the most important parts of the camera for quality pix are the lens and the flash.  If the RealPix camera truly has a lens that doesn't distort the way most wide angle lenses do, AND a built in flash that will project to 20 ft - $299 is a fair price.  I paid nearly that much for a wide angle lens and nearly $200 for a powerful flash unit for my 35mm (non-digital) Nikon system.  Eventually, if the camers sells well, it will become cheaper.  Especially if they sell it through places like B&H Photo, Butterfly Photo or www.Amazon.com. (I've purchased at all these places and the service / hipping was great.

Here's what I don't like about the RealPIX.

• No LCD viewer to see the pix you've taken, so if the picture does not come out right, you don't find out till you get back to your computer to upload it.
• No memory disks so that you can transfer pix without a cable - it holds 400 shots in internal memory and you upload with a USB cable (as if I don't have enough cables on my desk already!  : )
• Battery is built in - which means it is designed to eventually just be thrown away and if you do let it discharge completely, you can't just throw in spare batteries.  It says it will provide many years of service, but that depends on how you use it. It does come with a car charger. 
• 640x480 is the only picture size it takes - They designed that for uploading to real estate websites using and auto uploader.  But for websites like mine, I can go bigger.  And often I crop out the ceiling etc that people don't need to see.  With this camera, this is no room for cropping.

All in all I think they limited their market and should have considered interior designers, real estate stagers, and professional organizers.  That would have doubled their market.  Or at least come up with another version of the camera that offers the quality pix with some of the other basic conveniences of digital cameras.  Even if it is more expensive.  Personally I'd rather pay more for a camera I like than pay less and not be happy with it.

The only other wide angle I've found is the Kodak Easy Share v705 7.1 megapixel 5x ultra wide angle Dual Lens optical zoom, ($230 on Amazon Retail $349) but according to the reviews, there is some distortion and the picture is "soft" or not sharply focused. That's probably because it's an optical zoom lens and not a fixed lens.

But at least it has an LCD viewer, memory disk, replaceable battery, and all the other conveniences we've become used to in a digital camera.  This means you can use it for your wide angle shots and for other purposes such as closeups of work you've done.  It even takes video clips and has digital image stabilization.  And the spare battery is only 16$

It's predecessor was the 5 Megapixel version and on that page you can see LOTS of photos taken with camera including 49 photos that have been uploaded by customers. This cute cat was the only one I found of a wide angle shot indoors.  As you can see it is a little dark...and there is distortion.  Not sure they used flash - it doesn't look like it. But with a wide angle lens, you will see more distortion the closer you are to an object.  This looks like it was taken pretty close. 

The panorama stitch function may be better for some rooms. See the panoramic photo taken inside a van by one of the Amazon reviewers.  (Click to see it larger) 

***UPDATES***

1) Thanks to Susan Kousek for sending me an email pointing out that with the Kodak camera "the flash won't fire while you're in panoramic mode." 

2) Thanks to Brandie Kajino for pointing out 2 more wide angle cameras - Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX01 and the Canon PowerShot SD800   See my update post

They all sound great!  I don't know what I'll get right now, but either way I'll post pix and let you know when I do.  Maybe I'll get them all and test them out!  : )

Can You Be Too Organized?

I just read an article on www.Lifehack.org that I would write myself except now it's been done.  Another one of those articles that make me feel like I have found another member of "my tribe" those of us who share the same fundamental beliefs about organizing. 

Not only do I agree completely that you CAN be TOO organized, Lorie Marrero , Professional Organizer and creator of The Clutter Diet, developed the coolest acronym using the word NEATER!  I might have to license it from her or something because it so perfectly and succintly describes my approach to organizing.

Check this quote out!

"I would not want to aspire to perfection, as it is an unattainable and futile goal. Instead we teach people to aspire to be NEATER*:

• Not perfect, but…
• Effective — your systems work well for you and your family
• Always improving- -you look for how to do things smarter, faster, and better
• True to your style– you work with your own preferences, not someone else’s standards
• Efficient– your systems minimize waste of time and energy
• Ready for anything– you are well-prepared with what you need for life and work

*NEATER acronym © 2005-2007, LivingOrder, Inc.

If you read through my services website and my organizing library, you will find all those concepts.  But there is it in one "neat" little package.  I've tried to come up with an acronym for NEAT LIVING that would summarize my approach, but never liked anything I came up with!  And there it is.  It's already been done!

Lori gives great examples of how you can become TOO organized. For example, you can have too many plastic containers in your pantry!  It can get annoying having to constantly transfer your food to containers.  I once saw an organizing show where nearly every single thing in the kitchen was transferred to matching containers. Including every single spice and herb.  And then they all had to be labeled!  And they weren't even easy to use containers!  They just wanted everything to look perfect.  That to me was way overboard.  If the look of all those containers makes it all worthwhile and motivates you to stay organized, go for it.  But at least make sure the containers are really easy to open and have wide mouths that so you can scoop the contents out easily. My favorites are Snapware (shown above) I get them at www.Target.com

FYI, I don't recommend all Snapware products - like the ones where you have to close all four sides called MODS (shown below) - to me they are really annoying and take too long to open and close. But if you don't mind that - they do keep things airtight!

Show Us Your Personal Planner Challenge!

Megan Spears has offerered up a neat challenge inspired by the "Show Us Your Desk" Challenge!  She tells all AND shows all about how she uses her planner.   This is going to be a fun one to watch! 

I explained how I use Outlook as my calendar a while ago. I will be watching this challenge eagerly!

Visit Megan's  Planner Challenge here!

Conquer Your Paper Clutter Class - May 10, 7-9pm - It's not too late to register!

I'm teaching a class called Conquer Your Paper Clutter May 10, Thursday evening, 7-9 and it's not too late to register! There are a few seats left.  You can register at http://www.ssreg.com/som/classes/classes.asp?catID=412

Or show up at the door at least 15 minutes prior to the start of class!

Participants will be receiving my 11 page completely customizable template for setting up a Neat & Simple hanging file system quickly.  The Template is created in Word 2003 and uses the Avery 11137 template. This template includes file names I recommend for various categories of files including: Financial, Medical, Household, Archives, Etc. It includes a set of labels for:

• Active Reference Files
• Action Files
• Archive Files

You can customize the labels to your needs, print them out, insert them into your tabs and be on your way to a professional looking filing system!

Recommended Supplies

- I recommend using 3.5 inch plastic tabs.  You can get these at Staples under $5

- To quickly print out labels you can easily insert into the 3.5 inch tabs, I recommend Avery 11137 WorkSaver Tab Inserts. These can be ordered online at Amazon.com under 2$

Alternative: Labeling by Hand or with P-Touch

If you prefer to label your files without a computer, you can use a P-touch or write with a Sharpie pen. You can use the template as a guide to help you determine the categories and label names for your filing system.

You can register at http://www.ssreg.com/som/classes/classes.asp?catID=412

Course Catalog Description

Don’t let paper clutter overwhelm your home! Learn how to deal with paper from the moment it arrives. Find out what to keep, what to toss, and what to shred. The instructor will show you creative ways to store paper so that you can instantly find mail, bills, legal and tax-related papers, special projects, schoolwork, magazines, catalogs, precious memorabilia, coupons, receipts, and more. Discover how to create easy, non-traditional filing systems that make it a pleasure to file.  Find out why it’s important to work with your natural style and not change yourself. These tips are especially timely for tax preparation.

Short on space? Try one of these Compact, Off the Wall Workstations

In preparing from my upcoming workshop on Conquering Paper Clutter (May 10), I'm doing a section on creating efficient workstations for smaller spaces.   I found so many great ideas I just had to post them here.

From the ever hip and funky OrganizingLA blog by John Trosko I found these neat ideas:

1. The eNook (shown in the first photo) from  Anthro not only allows you to close the desk when not in use, it has an electrical outlet & space to plug in all your charger and keep them out of site.  You can even store your laptop in it.  It's only around $400 and there are many customization options.  See John Trosko's review here.  See it at Anthro's site

2. The Walmaster system from Ultimate Office is a set of rails and organizers that help you clear files, supplies, and piles that clutter your desk and turn your walls into efficient “working space”.  You can hang shelves, pencil cups, letter trays, binder holders, and a "Paperflow Manager".  Check out their whole line of "Walls that Work" products.  See John's review of the Walmaster system.

3. For a really simple fold up and down wall mounted desk (or even a laundry folding station) under $200 check out this Ergo Desk from www.ComfortChannel.com

4.  There are many more Neat Wall Mounted Desks to be seen at this Nextag search page.

5.  Want to create your own wall mounted desk?  HGTV has a Room by Room episode and a video that shows you how!

Have you switched to Organic Milk & dairy products yet?

If you haven't switched to organic milk and dairy products, or you think organic milk is too expensive, you probably haven't seen Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" Video Clip of his Milk & Hormones rant about what rBGH, the bovine growth hormone produced by Monsanto and used by many dairy farmers does to the cows. 

And I'm sure you haven't seen what ends up in milk produced by cows treated with rBGH.  Since we learned about rBGH a couple years ago, we don't buy anything but organic dairy, cage-free & organic eggs & meat products. 

It kills me that although the synthetic hormone rGBH has been banned in most nations, including all 25 European Union nations, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, due to its links to endocrine disruption and cancer, it is still widely used in the U.S.!!!!

Monsanto even had the nerve to file a formal complaint with the FDA demanding that dairies that don't use rBGH should NOT be able to label their products "rBGH-free."  See the article "Monsanto Declares War on 'rBGH-free' Dairies" on Organic Consumers Organization site.

Want to know what "organic" really means?

Here's the USDA consumer info brochure

Want to learn more about rGBH? 

See "What's in Your Milk?"  on the Cancer Prevention Coalition website

rBGH, the Hormone Given to Cows that Makes Them Produce More Milk - Why do Some Groups Want it Banned?

Need a laugh?
See Comedy Central's "Colbert Report" Video Clip of his Milk & Hormones rant.  It's HILARIOUS and also educational and scary.  (Type Milk in the Search box to find it.)

Want to avoid rGBH?

The best way to avoid rBGH is to only buy milk and milk products that clearly state that they are rBGH-free.  Some companies have been caught saying they are organic but really aren't like Horizon. Horizon Organic and Aurora dairies cheated. This story is a couple years old...not sure what the latest is but it appears they don't operate within the true intent of the Organic label.

Check out Cornucipia.org's SCORECARD report that rates organic dairies on a 5 point scale.  VERY INTERESTING!  Stonyfield Farms only rates a 3 and Stop n Shop's Nature's promise is only a 2 and Trader Joe's is a 1 because they wouldn't provide info.  Our favorite was rated a 4 (yay!) - Organic Valley

Publix Supermarkets banned rGBH in its Publix brand milk!  Safeway, Starbucks, Ben and Jerry’s and Chipotle Mexican Grills also have rBGH-free policies.

What to Expect When Working with Professional Organizers and How to Choose a Professional Organizer!

Check out my recently updated article published on my website!

What to Expect When Working with Professional Organizers and How to Choose a Professional Organizer!

Cleaning is NOT organizing!

Dr. Amie Ragan of the Psychology of Clutter, a wonderfully insightful blog, recently posted on the difference between cleaning and organizing.  I couldn't have written a better post myself so I won't!  I'll just link you to her post : ) 

I address this issue on my FAQ's page on my services website as follows:

"In deciding to work with a professional organizer, realize that we are not a cleaning service, nor are we simply hired hands to assist you in rearranging stuff. You are hiring a professional organizer for expertise, recommendations, and to teach you new ways of doing things. A good professional organizer should focus more on helping you change your habits, and achieve a lifetime of staying better organized, than on your stuff."

When I work with clients, I do wipe down surfaces we've just cleared, because it only makes sense to clean up before you put things back and I do love things to be clean. In fact, I always bring dust wipes with me.  I learned to do this early on when many of my clients would pick up something and blow an inch of dust off it!  Sonetimes right in my face!  I got a lot of sinus infections at first.  Using the dust wipes has really helped with that because most of the dust sticks to the wipes.  Much better than breathing it all in! 

As an aside, I actually don't mind cleaning my own home but I don't feel it's a best use of my time so I have a cleaning service.  To be honest, I don't love spending time organizing either!  What I love is the results!! That's why I come with really creative and simple ways to organize.  I really prefer spending my time hanging out with my husband & cats, learning, gardening, writing, traveling, and helping people, etc. To me organizing is a means to an end, it's the way to live your life the way you want to - with your mind freed up for thinking about really matters most to you!

Challenge: Find out what your local charity needs, THEN go on a clutter hunt in your home!

I'm a natural packrat who has learned to let go of a lot and especially to acquire less in the first place.  But, I'm still a work in progress.  Being from New England, and being a big advocate of Reduce, reuse and recycle, I cringe at the thought of throwing away anything that still has a useful life to it.  So, giving to charity has helped me let go of much more than I'm naturally inclined to let go of.  I usually donate to the Vietnam Vets (www.vva.org) and keep donation containers on every floor of the house. This is great, they take most everything and they pick up from my home any day of the week. But there is still an issue with this approach.

CONFESSION - I still hang on to way more stuff than I really need. 

THE GOOD NEWS - I've found a way to motivate me to go to the next level in letting go AND help others in a more meaningful way at the same time !!  I'm so excited! 

SOMEONE NEAR YOU IS IN NEED - In my recent hunt for places to donate toiletries,  I found a few places here in town just a mile away that really have serious and urgent needs for things I'm not really using.  Like that extra microwave oven in our basement, and those extra sets of sheets reserved for our guest bed because they don't match our decor anymore. During my calls to various Domestic Violence Shelters and Food Pantries  I learned the following:

• When you call, they will tell you very specifically what they need right now for people in the shelters.
• Shelter organizations often have dire needs for:
• • cleaning supplies (even if they have been used)
  • kitchen appliances
  • baby items, like diapers and clothing
  • Plus size and children's clothing
  • Garbage bags
  • Sheets, comforters and linens
• Many shelters will pick up items.
• Some places will take furniture in good condition.
• Food pantries are often affiliated with thrift stores that will take household items and give you receipts.
• Thrift stores and shelters may also take things like:
• • Greeting cards and notes you don't use
  • Paper, pens, & office supplies
  • Old printers., TVs etc. if they work and are in good condition
  • Sunglasses

There is something about knowing that right now in my town, there are battered women and children, or people who suffered fires, floods or other disasters, who urgently need specific things to get their lives together that makes me want to go through everything I own - and give away anything and EVERYTHING I'm not using!

THE CHALLENGE

My challenge to you is:

Take 10 minutes and make a couple calls today or this weekend to your local food pantry and women's shelter.

• Ask them what they need right now for women and children living in the shelter.
• Ask them what the pantry needs.

If you are in NJ just click here to get numbers:
Domestic Violence Shelters and Food Pantries

If you aren't in NJ, Google using the terms Food Pantries or Domestic Violence Shelters and add your state abbreviation.

Make a few phone calls and find out what they really need right now. It's amazing what you'll find! 

GO THROUGH YOUR CLOSETS (Clothing, Linen, Utility, etc.)

You won't believe how EASY it will be for you to go through your stuff and let go of those things you normally hang on to because "it might come in handy someday" or "eventually I'll lose weight and wear that again" or "what if I gain weight again and need that size" or "those can be worn in a few years by my younger child" and on and on.

Think of that abused child who is in a shelter right now...and needs those clothes right now.  My bet is you'll be packing up a bag and taking it over to them this week!  : )

GO THROUGH YOUR CUPBOARDS

Find all those canned goods and other items you bought in bulk and haven't used in over 6 months...and either use them or pack them up and take them to the pantry BEFORE they expire!!  Look under your sink too. Give away that dish detergent and other cleaning supplies you tried and didn't like! Or just give away your extras!

GO THROUGH YOUR OFFICE and/or CRAFT SUPPLIES

See how much of what you have matches what they need and let go of the stuff you aren't using!

DONATE

Take your bags (they don't need to be huge amounts.) and distribute them to your nearest or favorite shelter, pantry and thrift store. Get a receipt if you want to write the donation off on your taxes. (see Donating Your Stuff Can Make You More Money Than Selling it! (If you do it right)

TAKE A MOMENT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED

Not only can you savor the space you've created, you won't have to go out and buy storage containers to hold the stuff, and if you emptied containers, you'll have homes for future needs! You'll get money back on your taxes if you write it off.  But best of all, you really made a difference in someone's life who is much less fortunate than you.

SHARE WHAT YOU'VE LEARNED

Leave a comment and let us know if knowing someone specific needed your stuff helped you let go of more.  What did you let go of?  Also, please share any great links you found with comprehensive lists of food pantries and battered women's or homeless shelters, or thrift stores!  Let us know what things they need in your area. Especially any that surprised you. Perhaps there is a need for things you normally would throw away?

Have a great giving weekend!

Places to Donate Toiletries & Cleaning Supplies

In search of places to donate toiletries, I found some great links to help you find a place to donate toiletries you that are cluttering up your bathroom.  Like the toothbrush and toothpaste your dentist gave you but you have never used. Or those deodorant samples that come in the mail, but you aren't interested in.  Or perfume / hairspray / shampoo / hand lotion / bath salts you used once or twice but didn't like.   Or maybe you got a gift basket of toiletries you don't really use because you already have your favorites!

In calling the local resources near me, I found out that some food pantries, church thrift stores, and domestic violence shelters will put out opened toiletry items in excellent condition in a basket for patrons to browse and take things they may need.  Some of the items also may be given to disaster victims / homeless people in your local neighborhood. 

Find a Food Pantry Near You in NJ   
http://www.sefan.org/gpage.html2.html

Find Domestic Violence Shelters Near You in NJ
http://www.njcbw.org/guide.htm

Using these links I called the food pantries in my home town of Bloomfield as well as a couple Domestic Violence / Battered Women & Children Shelters and found one that although they always prefer unopened items, they will take small amounts of opened, barely used toiletries that are in really good, clean condition.  What they do is put them in a basket with a sign that tells people they can help themselves and use them at their own risk.

They wouldn't take opened toiletries from just anyone, but I went and met with them and assured them that they have not been tampered with in any way and came from a clean home, etc. so they were looked over what I brought and took things like hairspray, hair gels, shampoo, conditioner, bath salts, etc.  Things that aren't really risky. 

Of course  - NEVER DONATE or ACCEPT eye or lip care things that have been opened. 

If you aren't in NJ, try googling Food Pantries or Domestic Violence Shelters and add your state abbreviation. Make a few phone calls and find out what they really need right now. If you find a great link listing all the resources in your state, leave it here in a comment and I'll publish a post listing all the links!

Do images affect your mood?

It's so good to be back after time away getting recharged!  In going through and catching up on email I found a really interesting request from a friend Iyna Bort Caruso who is the author of "The Everything Home Storage Solutions Book"

She is working on an article and needs input.  Here's her question:

"Is there a painting/print in your home that actually changes your mood or the way you feel?  For instance, when you're upset, sick or stressed, do you ever stop and stare at a particular image knowing it's going to calm you?  I'd love to hear about it."

Here's an excerpt from my response:

For me it's not a painting or print per se...but I do like to look out at my backyard and garden.  We spend a lot of time making our backyard landscaping and garden look good because we have a sunroom that looks out at it, and I also have 2 bay windows in my kitchen that look out at the backyard.  The visual of the garden changes and watching the squirrels & chipmunks and birds is very relaxing and calming for us.  We also love to just watch our 3 cats play or sleep whatever.  They are awesome.

I'm collecting responses for Inya and would love it if you would leave a comment telling us about any special image you like to look at that changes the way you feel.  I'll let you know when her article is out!

Thanks! : )