I usually round up friends and family and anyone else who is willing to paint for a few hours in exchange for a hot meal. To make things easier for everyone, I purchase all of the painting supplies including my favorite painting gadget – a paint edger. It’s a simple solution to your interior painting woes. You can find paint edgers at places like Walmart, Home Depot or Lowes.

This video from YouTube advertising the Shur – Line Pro Edger will give you a good idea of how easy it is to use and how much time it can save on interior painting tasks.

Every season I do a thorough cleaning of my entire house and get rid of clutter. I go through every room, closet, nook and cranny. It usually takes about a week but when I’m finished I only have things in my home that I need, use or absolutely love. If you are tired of walking by messy, untidy rooms day after day, the following steps will help you get rid of clutter and take control of your home.

Decide which items to keep. At first glance, keeping an item may appear to be the easiest route to take. But before you continue down that road, keep in mind that you are trying to get rid of clutter not merely reassign it to another location. It may help to look at your things as if you didn’t own them. If you were helping a friend get rid of clutter and get organized what would you suggest that they do with the item?

Determine usefulness. This may seem obvious but if you seldom or rarely use an item, think twice before holding onto it any longer. If something can easily be purchased again and you are not currently using it, sell or donate it. If an item is likely to appreciate, hold on to it or sell it now for quick cash. Family heirlooms, hand-made gifts, childhood memorabilia, etc. may possess little monetary value but may indeed be priceless. Keep them well-maintained and packed away in a safe place or on display for your guests to see.

Give each item a home. Once you decide what you are going to keep, figure out where it belongs. As you go through the rooms in your house or apartment, ask yourself, “Does this item work best here?” This will help you stay focused on your clutter control mission.

Sell unwanted items. What you view as clutter could be viewed as treasure to another. List your items online or hold a yard/garage sale. If it is cost effective, put an advertisement in the local paper. Pay the extra fees so that the ad can be viewed online. Don’t forget about word of mouth advertising. Tell your family and friends that you have items for sale. They can help get the word out and may even become your best customers.

Give to charity. If an item hasn’t sold after a predetermined amount of time consider donating it to a charitable organization. Research several national organizations or choose a local cause that’s dear to your heart.

Recycle. If the item is no longer needed and is in good condition, look into recycling. Gather bins to separate paper, plastic, etc. Identify an area where the items will be accepted and processed.

Toss items in disrepair. Avoid selling or donating items that have missing or broken pieces. If an item is in serious disrepair, tossing it is probably the best thing to do.

With a few easy to implement household cleaning tips, you can keep you home clean and guest-ready at a moments notice. Try these cleaning tips to make your daily housekeeping tasks more manageable.

#1 – Make the beds. This first household cleaning tip will help you get your day off to a great start. Make your bed when you first wake up and ask other household members to do the same. Fluff your pillows and straighten the sheets for a crisp, clean look.

#2 - Address the critical tasks in the bathroom. A clean bathroom is essential to having a clean house. Be sure to clean the mirror(s), wipe the bathroom counter top, sink(s) and faucet(s). Next, clean the tub basin and spray the tub and shower area including the curtain liner with ‘daily after shower spray’ to prevent soap scum and mildew. Last, wipe the toilet seat and rim then use a brush to clean the toilet bowl.

#3 – Pick up as you go. Implementing this household cleaning tip alone will help your house feel less cluttered. Throughout the day (or evening) as you go from room to room, remove items from the floor such as toys, books, newspaper, etc. and put them in their appropriate place. Encourage all household members to get in the habit of doing this as they leave a room.

#4 – Straighten up the living areas. Fluff the pillows and cushions on the sofa; fold and put away blankets and throws. Clear clutter off of the tables and organize magazines and papers. Spray and wipe the table with glass cleaner or dust it off. Sweep or vacuum as needed but at least once a week.

#5 – Address the critical tasks in the kitchen. Load all dirty dishes into the dish washer and start a new cycle or hand wash the dishes and put them in the dish rack. Get in the habit of rinsing each dish immediately after use then place the item into the dishwasher or sink. Wipe down the sink, faucet, counter tops and stove top then lay out a clean dish cloth for the next day.

#6 – Take out the trash. To execute this household cleaning tip efficiently, use plastic shopping bags to line small trash cans (such as the ones in the bathroom). When the bags are full, dump them into a larger can (such as the one in the kitchen). Take out the trash and clean the garbage can if odors linger. 

A clean and organized refrigerator can help you get the most out of your hard earned cash. I don’t know how many times I’ve gone to the grocery store to purchase something like ketchup only to return home and find that I already had a bottle…it was just hiding in the back of an untidy fridge. Now, I make organizing the refrigerator a part of my kitchen cleaning routine. Here are a few steps to keep your refrigerator tidy and fresh.

1. Pull everything out of the refrigerator

• Set the food, condiments and other items on the counter top or on a table nearby.
• Toss anything that is spoiled, expired or that you know longer plan to eat (ex. last week’s leftovers).
• Consolidate open bottles of condiments by pouring near empty bottles into a single container.

2. Wash and wipe down the interior and its parts

• Remove the refrigerator shelves, drawers and other detachable parts and wash them in the dishwasher or in the sink with hot soapy water.
• Wipe down the inside of the door and the non-removable parts.

3. Return and organize the refrigerator’s contents

• Keep like items together and place tall items in the back.
• Place items in their designated compartments (vegetables and fruit in the crisper, chicken, beef, etc. in the meat drawer).
• Keep in mind that the top refrigerator shelf is one of the warmer spots in the fridge so place items that spoil quickly on the bottom shelf since it is the coldest.
• Reserve a shelf for leftovers and other ready to eat food.
• In addition to the topmost shelf, the door compartment is another area that does not get very cold. Store condiments inside the door.

4. Wash and wipe the exterior surface

• Remove magnets and other items from the refrigerator door and wipe down the surface.
• Before placing the items back on the door, sort through them. Toss any outdated information and clutter.

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Shore, a lovely shade of blue is another one of Restoration Hardware’s signature colors.  My kitchen and great room are both painted this color. I think it looks great but don’t get me wrong. There were rumbles of skepticism from the moment I mentioned the idea of painting the kitchen “blue”.  Surprisingly enough, even the critics were silenced and dare I say “impressed” with how I pulled it all together.

Follow these tips to help you choose the right paint color for your home.