While your home may be in utter chaos around you, we’re going to take a non-traditional approach to tackling it. We’re going on Zone Defense this year. This week our zone is your closet.

This month we’re tackling our first zone out of twelve. But, I’m kinda faking you out a bit. We’re gonna get up close and personal.

Rather than work on the hardest zone, which would probably be a great “eat that frog” kind of approach, we’re going to tackle your space, your zone.

Here’s my rationale: If you feel put together, if you can start the day with a smile on your face and a spring in your step, all the rest will fall into place. Or it just won’t bug you that much.

Your Zone

So, we’re going to be looking at several aspects of your zone this month:

• your clothes closet
• your body
• your bathroom and bedroom
• your place to hang out/relax/recharge
• your purse, your calendar, your car

These are important aspects of your well-being as a woman. And so that is where we start. You’ll feel better this year. And that’s golden, baby.

An added bonus is that if you start with your stuff, then later on when you approach other members of the family regarding some of their possessions and storage methods, you’ve already set the tone. You will have already purged unwanted stuff and redesigned your space to fit you. You will, Lord willing, feel more rested and put together, and that will be contagious!

Or at least help you answer any protests they give you with a smile on your face!

Your Personal Space: Clean out your clothes closet.

They say, “Clothes make the man,” or woman, as the case may be. How you feel about yourself is often related to the clothes you wear. And if you feel good about your outward appearance, that will give you confidence to tackle these other projects – and the other stuff of life, too.

So, here we go!

1. Pull out everything in your closet.

Everything. Only the items that you regularly wear are going back in. Anything you don’t wear is going to be trashed, repaired, or donated. If you don’t wear it, someone else could. And there are plenty of needy people out there.

2. Try them on.

Try on the items that you’re not sure about or haven’t worn in awhile. If you like what you see, you get to keep it. If not, then send it to the maybe pile. You’re allowed a reprieve on five items. You can keep five things that might fit someday or you might change your mind on. Choose wisely, little grasshopper. Too many of us hold onto stuff that really will never come back in style or fit us again.

(Pregnant and nursing moms get a free pass on this one, but ditch the stained pieces and those that are outdated and in disrepair.)

3. Replace the keepers.

Arrange the YES items in rainbow order: white, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple, brown, black. This is a great means for locating the blue sweater that you know you just put away. If the clothes are arranged in color order, they will be easier to find.
I find it best to place tops in one section and bottoms in another. Do what you know works for you. If you’re not sure what works best for you, try my way first and then make adjustments.

4. Plan the matches.

As you look through your clothes that you love, can wear, and will wear, think about how they work together. Do you have a mix and match wardrobe? Does every item have something to go with it? (Preferably, you’ll have more than one thing to coordinate with each garment.)

Matchbook Magazine has a checklist of classic basics that might inspire you for any upgrades you want to make to your wardrobe.

5. How would you improve your organization?

While you’re admiring your clean closet, make a note in your notebook of organizing improvements you could make. Would it help to have a sweater organizer hanging for the rack? Would hooks help you organize your scarfs and belts better? Do you have enough hangers for your clothes? Do you need a shoe rack or a behind-the-door organizer?

Think through the “organizing” items that really would help you. Don’t just go buy something.  Make a list of “this-would-really-help-me-out” items and make plans to go shopping and price these items out. (You can download this Room Organizer Chart to help you.)

6. Clean up!

Vacuum or sweep your closet floor so you know you did a thorough job. Take out the trash and the discards. Deal with them appropriately.

7. Maintain

So, now that your closet is clean and organized, keep it that way! Hang clothes up, keep things off the floor, replace shoes in their holders. If you maintain this space, you won’t find yourself in trouble again. And hopefully, if your closet plays by the rules, the other zones will follow suit.

photo source: Small Notebook

Related links:

• Wardrobe Woes
• Your Wardrobe: Learning to Mix and Match
• Shopping for Clothing that Works
• Fall Wardrobe Essentials
• Add Classic Style to a the Small Wardrobe :: from Small Notebook
• How to Manage Your Wardrobe with Common Sense :: from Small Notebook
• What to Wear When You Travel :: from Simple Mom
• Dressing Your Worth :: from Pancakes and French Fries
• Clothes Make the Woman :: my fashion pins on Pinterest

 Will this zone be easy or hard for you this week?

Get going team and be ready to report back. Can’t wait to see the polished you!

Maintain Your Personal Space & Your Clothes Closet (Zone Defense) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Head’s up! If you make a purchase through the Amazon links in this post, I do receive a small percentage of the sale.

photo source

I have found that reading an organizing or decluttering book is an ideal way to get me motivated to tackle the stuff in my home. I’m also inspired by new ideas and methods. And since we’re on Zone Defense, this is a great time to get thinking about stuff. (It’s not too late to join the team.)

Here are some favorite books about organizing and stuff:

• The 100 Thing Challenge by Dave Bruno
• Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider
• Clutter Rehab by Laura Wittmann
• Home Comforts by Cheryl Mendelson
• Homeworks by Cynthia Townley Ewer
• Make Your House do the Housework by Don Aslett

There are also a number of bloggers doing decluttering/homemaking series this year. Be inspired by what they have to say as well:

• Pancakes and French Fries
• Small Notebook
• The Nester
• The Happy Housewife
• Organizing Junkie

Have you found a great organizing resource?

Share the link with us!

Psst… And of course, there’s this.

Good Reads for Organizing is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

As we gear up for Zone Defense, guest writer Kate offers some important suggestions for what to do with discards. Some can be donated, others need simply to be dumped.

photo source

Maintaining an organized and uncluttered home means that you must regularly assess your possessions, and frequently cull your belongings. Whether you’re clearing out the closet, paring down the tower of toys, or trying to make room on your bookshelf for the newest best seller, there will be items leaving your home.

The moment of decision looms: do you throw the stuff away or donate it to charity?

I work for a human services non-profit and I’ve spent the last five years on the receiving end of well-meaning, charitable donations of “stuff.” Ask yourself the following questions before you lug your box of goodies to the nearest rescue mission.

Is It Broken?

If it’s broken, throw it away. That sounds like a no-brainer but I think people take too seriously that old adage of “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Don’t donate broken furniture, household appliances, etc. Your donation will just wind up getting thrown away and you’ve wasted the resources of the organization you’re trying to support. (The exception to this is if an organization advertises that they refurbish non-functioning electronics.) If you have broken furniture, you’re actually better off putting it out on the curb. There it might well fall into the hands of the professional dumpster divers who may be able to fix it up and use it.

photo source

Is It Stained/Ripped/Otherwise Yucky?

This one goes for clothing. Ask yourself why you’re getting rid of that shirt. Is it because you just don’t wear it? Great! Donate it! Is it because it’s got sweat stains? Um, trash it (or shred it for rags). No one wants to wear clothing with rips, holes, and dirt.

Is It Safe?

Be careful donating children’s “gear” like car seats or cribs. For one, many organizations will not accept these items due to concerns about safety. Car seats are not meant to be passed down through multiple families. If you do have an item to donate, be sure to check a reputable recall site (like the Consumer Product Safety Commission — http://www.cpsc.gov/) to make sure the item has not been recalled.

Is It Old?

Like, really old. Canned goods that have been lurking in the back of your Pantry for ten years are not good candidates for donations. Food pantries frequently cannot stock items that are past their expiration date. Be considerate and check the dates before you donate.

Really old furniture can be dicey, too. The line between “antique” and “junk” is pretty fine and most non-profits aren’t in the antique business anyways. They want functional, relatively current pieces that will be easy to distribute to families in need.

Is It Needed?

Well-meaning people give a lot of unsolicited (and, to be honest, unwanted) “stuff” to charities. If you’re interesting in donating an item to a charity, call them to see if it’s something they need and want. Don’t just show up on their doorstep with that dish set of Aunt Mildred’s. Some organizations have very strict guidelines about what they will accept, while others will take just about anything. You’ll save time – yours and theirs – if you check the acceptance policy before you load up your car with bags and boxes of stuff.

Did I forget anything?

What guidelines do you use to decide what to donate to charity?

– Kate lives in Pittsburgh with her husband, two children, and a slightly deranged Labrador. She blogs at Green Around the Edges, pondering food, family, and hugging the occasional tree.

Dump or Donate? is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Savvy athletes know that having the right equipment makes the game more fun to play. And so it is with home organization, you need the right equipment to do your job well.

You are just itching to start cleaning your house, aren’t you? I’ve got a theme going here in case you haven’t noticed. On Saturdays I’m sharing Zone Defense: a game plan to organize our homes. I’m taking the slow, year-long approach for a number of reasons.

The main one is that LIFE is a marathon. Sure, there are moments for sprinting. Honestly, it seems like every day is a sprint. But, I know that my life is already full without adding a crash course in decluttering to it. I would just stress myself out. So, I’m taking the “slow and steady wins the race” approach to Zone Defense.

I’m hoping that it will help me stick to the game plan.

Last week we discussed our homes’ strengths and weaknesses so that we can copy what works in one area and eliminate what doesn’t in another area of home and life.

This week we’re talking about equipment and staging ourselves for success before we dig into the different zones. If you have to stop a project to go find something, you will slow yourself down, risk getting distracted, and lose momentum. True athletes have whatever they need right there before the game or practice begins. So we will, too.

Here are some things that you will need to do to get ready for the game:

Arrange for a method of donation or disposal.

Consider placing a box in your garage where you place discards as you find them. When it’s full, get rid of it.

If you’re not sure where your local thrift store or other charitable organization accepts donations or who to call for a pick-up, find this number now. Program it into your phone so that you have it when you are ready. If they make regular pick-ups in your neighborhood, be sure to write down the next date they’ll be coming by so you can be prepared to meet them at the curb. Be so bold as to mark it on your calendar or program it in your phone.

You will be getting rid of stuff.

Collect cleaning supplies.

We could probably devote an entire chapter or book to the different options in cleaning supplies. What works for one person may or may not work for someone else. Collect your favorites.

For me that would be:

• 1 spray bottle of vinegar and water solution
• 1 spray bottle of bleach and water solution
• baking soda and vinegar for scrubbing
• cleaning cloths
• microfiber dusting mitt
• lint-free window/mirror cloth
• vacuums (both handheld and upright)
• broom
• steam mop (and distilled water)
• scrubbing brush for sinks and tubs
• toilet brush and pumice stone
• paper towels
• trash bags

Gather organizing supplies.

Containerizing is a wonderful means of organizing the stuff you decide to keep. I love those photos of cabinets that are neatly arranged with cute boxes and baskets. While our visions may include Pinterest-inspired, beautifully organized cupboards and closets, hold off on buying more stuff until you know exactly what you want or need.

But, do gather any empty containers or boxes, pretty or not, and have them at the ready for when you do organize each zone. You can always make them pretty later or replace them with upgrades.

The last thing we want to do is buy more stuff to organize stuff that is really stuff we should give away.

Grab your notebook!

Hopefully, you have some kind of notation device to help you remember what to buy, when to do something, and who to call. I use a household/personal planner which serves as my brain on paper. (You can find more information about it here.) Other folks have an app on their phones or use google calendar.

Be mindful of what you want to use. If you don’t have anything, just make sure you’ve got a small pad of paper with your cleaning and organizing supplies so that you can record lists and tasks to complete as you go along.

This is a year-long series about home organization. Head here to check out the series’ details, sign up for the team, and check out posts you might have missed.

Have I forgotten anything?

What would you consider necessary equipment to get into the game?

Get Your Equipment Ready (Zone Defense) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Are you on Zone Defense with us this year? I hope so. We’re going to be working month-by-month, zone-by-zone to get life and home in order.

It’s not too late to sign up! Hop over here and join the team. It’s also the post that I’ll be updating all year long with the different plays, or tasks that we’ll be tackling. We’ve got 150+ folks officially on the team — with who knows how many lurking on the sidelines.

Plus, as I see cool organizing stuff, I’m pinning it on one of two boards on Pinterest:

• Zone Defense (of course) 
• What to Do with Stuff

If you’ve got a great organizing idea, send me the link!

Zone Defense Pinboards is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Assessing the playing field, that is, evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of your home can help you enact a game plan for organizing that will help you win against clutter and disorder.

Ready to get into the game? Last week, I gave you a sneak peek into our game plan this year for organizing our homes. We’re going on Zone Defense and will be working on a different area of home/life each month.

Prior to a game, the athletes and their coaches study the field. What are the playing conditions? What are the strengths of the opposing team? What are their weaknesses? How can we position ourselves for success?

So, while you are probably antsy to just dig in and deal with your messes, now is the time to think about what you want to accomplish in this year. Take an inventory, if you will, of your home today, and sketch a vision of what you want it to look like – and how you want it to function – in the future.

Task #1 – Take this week to survey the playing field: inventory your home and its strengths and weaknesses.

Jot down the answers to these questions so that you have a clear picture of what you’re going to tackle.

You can also download worksheets with these questions here. You’ll notice that they will coordinate with your OLAM pages.

Home Inventory Questions

• What are the problem areas you face in daily cleaning?
• Where does clutter tend to pile up in your home?
• Is it easy for you to get ready in the morning? If not, what do you think is the problem?
• What is your favorite room of the house? Why is that? (You’re going to want to think about this, so that you can duplicate that feeling in other areas of your home.)
• What room do you avoid at all costs? Describe this room and think about what annoys you about it. What would you need to do/buy to make it better? (We want to solve this problem and keep it from spreading throughout the house!)
• Which cleaning tasks do you avoid like the plague? Chances are you can make these jobs easier with a little decluttering and organizing.
• Where do you hide your clutter? (Yeah, that’s gonna have to stop.) And why is that? Are you rushed? Don’t know where to put it? Lazy?
• Are there parts of your home that are broken or in need of repair or a makeover? Keep a running list. If they are urgent, make plans to fix them now. If not, chances are we’ll cover it in the coming weeks.
• Is it too much stuff, failure to put it away, or plain disorganization that holds you back from having a home you love?

As you think through these questions, try to be honest with yourself. Knowing your problem areas will better help you to solve them and to redesign your home to fit you and your family.

Personally, I want to get to the root of the problem. Rather than continually move my messes around, I want to prevent them from happening next time.

What kind of player am I?

For myself, I know that paper is my arch rival. I was able to list at least four locations where paper rules the field. I also know that we have a combination of too much stuff as well as some tweaks we could make to increase the functionality of each room, like coat pegs in the entry way.

I’ve got these in mind, as well as trying to be honest about my own situation and habits. I know that I tend to hold onto stuff because I worry that I will have to pay a stupid tax and rebuy it later. Or, I’m just sentimental about the item in question.

Clearly, decluttering isn’t just about stuff. Emotions are a key player in this game.

My hunch is that once we get the ball into play, though, we’ll be okay. Successes often build on one another.

What’s your strength? What’s your weakness?

Evaluate Your Home’s Strengths (Zone Defense) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Clutter and disorder can be paralyzing. And despite all the books and videos to help you get it together, sometimes you just need a game plan — and to know you’re not alone in zone defense.

OK, team, here we go. We are facing Clutter and Disorder this year. Those are tough teams to beat. But, you can do this.

We’ve gotta be tough. We gotta be vigilant. We gotta win. So, no shortcuts, no mamby-pambies. We’re going to work hard. And we are gonna do what we set out to do!

By now, my entire family is laughing uproariously because I don’t have an athletic bone in my body. I’ve never played an individual sport, let alone a team sport.

But, I do love a good metaphor.

The Pre-Game Pep Talk

Clutter and Disorder are tough to beat. It does take hard work and perseverance. And this series is a game plan designed to help you make sense of the space in which you live, and to make it suit you. You will get your mind and your house in shape and fit for the lifestyle that your family lives.

They say that it’s the people that make a house a home. It’s so true. And yet, it’s also the people — and their accompanying activities — that can make that house one big disorganized mess.

But it doesn’t have to be so. In fact, we can organize, and in some respects, redesign our homes to fit us and what we love to do. So, this project isn’t just about cleaning your home, it’s about organizing your homeLIFE.

Zone Defense: An Introduction

And zone defense is a great way to look at this process. Rather than go through the motions of isolated cleaning tasks, we’re going to focus on one zone of home/life at a time.

Dividing the average home into 12 areas or “zones,” we’ll be addressing a different zone and its accompanying activities each month. We’ll go on a yearlong journey toward making our homes more of what we want them to be: places perfectly designed for the things and people we love.

We’ll be looking at these 12 zones of life over the course of the year:

1. The Playing Field

Evaluate your home’s strengths.

2. Your Personal Space
3. The Kitchen
4. Clothes and Textiles
5. Living Spaces/Entertainment
6. Transportation and Travel
7. Kids’ Stuff
8. Bathrooms
9. Emergency Preparedness
10. The Great Outdoors
11. Office and Paper
12. Deep Storage

This month, we’ll be talking about The Playing Field, your home in general. We’ll take inventory of trouble spots as well as create a vision for what we want life to be like — at home.

I would love to have you join me. This isn’t just about training, blood, sweat, and tears — and stinky sweat socks. It’s a game. And hopefully, it will be fun — or at least rewarding. And it will, Lord willing, be a great journey for us to take in this new year.

Don’t miss out! There will be some freebies along the way. Be sure not to miss them! Subscribe to my RSS feed or receive free updates via email. You can also follow along on Facebook or on twitter.

(Plus, there might be some sweepstakes along the way, so that’s cool.)

Ready to join the team?

Even my mom is doing it, so I’m sure you’ll want to, too.
Leave a comment, saying hey. Let us know you’re in the game.

Zone Defense: A Game Plan for Organizing Your Home is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

“Organization” doesn’t have to be drudgery! In fact, being organized is a wonderful way to enjoy family time more. Life as MOM writer, Prerna shares some ideas to involve the whole family in your organizing efforts.

photo source

Getting and staying organized is one of my major goals this year. Honestly, I’ve always thought of myself as fairly organized. Heck, I’ve written hundreds of posts on how to get organized and even a free eBook on organizing, but despite all of that, there have been several areas of my life that still need help with a bit of streamlining and organization. And most of them involve other members of my family – my husband and daughter.

So, this year, I’m focusing on getting organized as a family. Wanna join me? Here are some fun ways {so you don’t drive the others nuts!} to do that:

1. Use a Family Bulletin Board

A family bulletin board is a simple, effective and super-fun way to keep track of what everyone is doing and when. Use it to jot down the day’s menu or reminders to other family members. You can choose from all sorts of bulletin boards – magnetic, dry-erase and of course, the pin board. (See this great tutorial from A Thoughtful Place for the board pictured above.)

Get one that suits your family the best and hang it in a place that is visited by everyone, often. Umm, the kitchen, right?

2. Get a Photo Calendar for Kiddie Rooms

My preschooler loves looking at photos and is just understanding the concept of days and dates. So, a photo calendar filled with photos of her and us was a great way of teaching her what happens when. However, you can use the same thing for older children and help them pencil in project deadlines, book return dates and play date.

You can either make your own using your printer and Jessica’s printable calendars from Organizing Life as Mom or you can order one from companies like Snapfish, Lifephoto and Shutterfly. Lifephoto, in fact, is giving away FREE customized photo calendars to everyone who signs up on their Facebook page.

Photos add a dash of personalization and personality, and makes using a calendar easier and interesting for everyone.

photo source

3. Use Color-Coded Baskets or Boxes for Toys or Accessories

This is one organizing strategy that I will be introducing to my toddler this year. Using color-coding makes it super-simple for even a preschooler to put away toys at the end-of-the-day. I plan on getting 4 different-colored inexpensive plastic baskets for her dolls, stuffed toys, cars and pretend play toys. These baskets would fit into a larger shelf and keep her room relatively clutter-free and cut down on cleanup time as well.

(Katherine Maries shows you a clever way to combine pictures with bins so kids know where to put their stuff.)

4. Add a Basket to Collect Knick-Knacks at the Entrance

Our apartment home does not have a foyer per se. The door opens straight into the living room and dining area. So, naturally when we would come home, wallets, sunglasses, cellphones, receipts and other miscellaneous items would be deposited on the table turning the dining table into a clutter magnet.

Adding a cute little basket to the table means that everything gets deposited into it and stays there. Papers and bills are sifted through and either trashed or filed away then and there.

You can use the same organizing trick in your home and, if you have a foyer and more members, consider adding a table with a small basket on top and a larger one at the bottom for shoes, umbrellas and bags.

Basically, giving family members a space to park their stuff as soon as they enter the house will keep even the smallest apartment tidy and organized.

Do you have a fun organizing trick to keep your family organized?

– Prerna Malik is a mom, a wife, a writer and woman who believes in parenting with love, being postively productive, and creating a home that invites you to put your feet up and relax. Find her sharing her simple tips and easy-to-do ideas at The Mom Writes or follow her on Twitter.

Disclaimer: Lifephoto is a social media client of Prerna’s. However, she makes no money from sharing the free photo calendar link.

Fun Ways to Get Organized as a Family is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

Antibacterial cleaning cloths can make cleaning more fun and chemical free. Win some this weekend from Norwex.

I am not a clean freak. I really wish I were. But, I’m not. I like to call what I have, creativity. But, others might call it distracted or even flaky. While I love things to be clean and while I don’t mind doing it once I get going, finding the motivation to get myself in gear is harder.

So, over time I’ve found ways to make cleaning a little more, dare I say it, enjoyable. Good music, a glass of my favorite beverage, and a bribe to myself to do something fun when I’m done are always helpful. Companionship helps, too, whether it’s my kids to work alongside me or a friend to talk to while I scrub.

Find Cool Tools

Another thing that helps is having the right tools for the job. Since FishPapa was a general contractor for so many years and needed the complete  line of every construction tool imaginable, he’s never been stingy with my buying whatever tools I needed. In fact, when I was teaching, he said clothes were my tools, and he made me go spend money on clothes!

(Yes, I did marry Mr. Right For Me.)

Having the right tools for cleaning tasks is not only expected around here, but they make the job easier and more fun to do. I have found cleaners that work for me. Aside from a little bleach for disinfecting, I almost exclusively use vinegar and baking soda for my everyday cleaning tasks. But, last year in our discussion about bleach, Laura mentioned that bleach was still bad. She mentioned something about using a silver cloth, information which I filed away. But, the post slipped into the archives and I forgot what brand cloth she mentioned.

Recently I had a chance to try out Norwex cleaning products. I had actually never heard of the brand before, or at least I didn’t think so. But, rereading the comments on the bleach post clued me in that Norwex was the brand Laura was talking about! Crazy.

In researching Norwex, I was pleased to see that they are a company dedicated to cleaning without chemicals. I love that! And they sell those silver-laden clothes that Laura mentioned.

Mom-preneur Marilyn Kjellman sent me a number of Norwex cleaning cloths that are fabulous for all the messes this family of 8 can make. I was especially smitten with the Blue Dusting Mitt.

And the Olive Green Tea Towel Set is super soft, a great feature for when you are washing and drying often.
According to Norwex,

“Norwex microfiber goes beyond “surface clean” with the innovative use of silver particles integrated into synthetic microfiber cloth ensure:

• Single-celled micro-organisms such as bacteria, fungi, yeast, and viruses cannot survive or adapt in silver exposure
• Surface-to-surface cross-contamination is eliminated
• Rapidly drying cloths prevent bacteria growth in the cloth itself”

I think that is very cool. I am really impressed with the entire line and am thankful to add some new tools to my bag of tricks. Especially if cleaning is more fun — and chemical free.

You can check out all that Norwex has to offer at their main site or browse the specials page for occasional discounts.

This weekend Marilyn is offering a great giveaway. Three Life as MOM readers will each win one of the following:

Basic Package
Kitchen Tea Towel Set
Dusting Mitt

To  Enter:

Leave a comment telling us, what tools YOU use to get your house spanking clean?

This promotion is open until Sunday, December 11th, at 8 pm PST and is limited to US residents, 18 years or older. The winner will be chosen randomly and notified via email. Please respond within 48 hours to claim your prize. This post will be updated with the beginning of the winner’s email addresses. The prize for this promotion is provided by and shipped by Marilyn Kjellman. Life as MOM will not be held responsible for unclaimed or undelivered prizes.

This giveaway is now closed. Congrats to the winners: jlmwnk@, Couponrn@, bluehydrangea@

Disclosure: I received review product and been compensated for my time administering this giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Get Cleaning with Norwex (A Giveaway) is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.

So there’s this quote by William Morris that you might have heard before, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” It’s wise and worthy of following. We’d all have a lot less stuff in our homes.

Julie took all of last month to do just that, follow his advice. I’ve watched her progress from afar and been so encouraged and motivated to get with the program as well.

What you see above is my coffee/tea/medicine/sports drinks cupboard. I’m sure everyone has such a cupboard. Don’t you?

Anyway, it was a mess. Obviously. And since I bought NINE packages of my favorite coffees on sale this week, I had to do something about it. I’d just read one of Julie’s posts, so I was motivated to clean and tidy. So, I did.

I consolidated the teas, removed some strange random things that didn’t belong there like Dora Match game cards and a fishing filet knife, and then straightened and tidied. I even had extra room for the cooling racks that I didn’t have a good place for. Yeah me!

Need a shot in the arm, too? Hop on over to Pancakes and French Fries to be inspired to ditch that which you don’t need or love.

Afternoon Reading: 31 Days of William Morris is a post from: Life As Mom. © Jessica Getskow Fisher - All rights reserved.