LinkedIN LoggedON Fog

Brain hazy.  
Cluttered with virtual initials. 
(just FYI)

Debuted the Declare Order website last week.

Tweaked the Declare Order website today.
Took time for a little writing fun.

Scroll down for my tweaked lyrics to "Initials" from the HAIR soundtrack.

(click the link below the movie poster to play the track)

Play "Initials" from Hair

The actual "Initial" lyrics:                               Updated "Initial" lyrics
                                                                                  (tweaked by, Leslie):

LBJ took the IRT                                                WWW searched the FAQ
Down to 4th Street USA                                  to Download the 4 sheet PDF
When he got there                                             When he "liked" there
What did he see?                                                What linkedIN free?
The youth of America on LSD                      The youth of America sharing RSS feed
LBJ   IRT                                                                 WWW  FAQ
USA LSD                                                                 PDF   RSS feed

LSD LBJ                                                                  RSS feed    WWW
FBI CIA                                                                   FB status    Youtube Replay

FBI CIA                                                                   FB status   Youtube Replay
LSD LBJ                                                                  RSS feed   WWW

A little Tweet 4 u...

LOL

“I have a microwave fireplace in my house. 

The other night I laid down in front of the fire for the evening in two minutes.”

- Stephen Wright

Define, "mantel."

mantel n : a beam, stone, or arch serving as a lintel (horizontal piece across the top of an opening that carries the weight of the structure above it) to support the masonry above a fireplace; also : a shelf above a fireplace...

Two years ago, while re-purposing our guest room to host a French High School Student for two weeks, I hopped on the Quotes on the Walls bandwagon.  Looking for something friendly to replace a series of five floral papers in marching frames, I turned to the computer.  My tween opted in and (for free!) created a kicky set of letters for us to spell out, "L-A-U-G-H."

Together, we pulled the decorative floral papers out of their frames, slipped her "L-A-U-G-H" letters in and...voila!  Très bon.

Can't remember when they were removed from the guest room to rest upon the mantel, but they have been living there happily ever since...

Amusant :)

Who Dun It?

Professional Organization Needs Assessment

Solve organizational mysteries by determining the answers...

There is a mess?  Who dun it?  Where?  What are we doing about it?
 
Remember the game of CLUE?  Players narrowed down choices before making an accusation -
"I believe it was MRS. WHITE, in the STUDY, with the KNIFE!"

It works for organizing too!  Start simple.  Narrow the work to:
One ROOM (kitchen, basement, family room...).
One kind of STUFF (clutter, stacks, storage...).
DO one thing about it (recycle, organize, discard...).

ROOM                           STUFF                           TO DO
 
Kitchen                           Clutter                             Discard

Family Room               Furniture                        Reuse                                    

Kid Bedroom                Mess                                 Re-organize

Home Office                 Paper                                Reduce

Garage                            Stacks                              Recycle

Basement                       Storage                           Organize


"We believe it was the CLUTTER, in the KITCHEN, and we can DISCARD it!"

Mix and match to suit your needs.

"I believe it was the Stacks in the Home Office and I will Organize them." 

Everybody wins!

Except Mr. Boddy.

Seeing Red - A Love Story

Last minute Valentine's Day errands have you frustrated?  Rushing to "put on a show" for your family?

Think you don't have the energy or creativity to do it on your own?

Yes, you DO!  The only Big Box store you need is your own home!  You don't even have to get dressed.

DECLARE ORDER WITH RED.

Take 5 minutes to make a pile of RED household items.  Go ahead.  I'll wait...
I raided my Kitchen, Birthday Box (see archives - Pencil Giving Needs), Gift Wrap drawer and found -

RED STUFF!

FOCUS ON YOUR SCHEDULE. 
What would make the most sense?
For your life.
For today.
A CENTERPIECE?
PLACE SETTINGS?
ENTRY?
LUNCH BOXES?

After looking at the RED STUFF and thinking about OUR schedule,
I chose to RED UP the kitchen table.
I started with the white breakfast bowls...

Hey!  

These look pretty sweet against the RED STUFF! 

Then I remembered the white tablecloth from Thanksgiving...

And...voila!

PRETTYFUL

My mom is an expert at making do.
She taught us that little loving touches can have as much impact as an "in your face" display.  My tween wandered past and asked to help blow up the balloons.  Then lamented she, "hadn't gotten me anything."  But the day is young and she is resourceful...Can't wait!
Thanks, mom. xox

LOVE STORIES

Oooh!  Inspiration!  I think I will take the paper placecards and write thoughtful little one sentence messages on the inside to my husband and kids...

"I love it when you___________.  

It is fun when we ___________.  

I am proud of you when___________."

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Clean Your Room!

Stressed by the mess in your child's room?

  Don't battle - REDUCE! :) 

EASY AS 1, 2, 3...

1.  CLOTHES - Reduce the number of clothes your child is directly responsible for...

One laundry load + 1 outfit for laundry day + 1 nicer outfit?  The rest should not live in the drawer...

2.  TOYS - Reduce the number of toys your child is directly responsible for...

While sorting, look for categories that have open-ended uses and are developmentally appropriate.

An 8 year-old girl example:  One bin of dress-up clothes + 1 bin of dolls and accessories + 1 bin of books.

3.  MAINTENANCE - Store and label the remaining toys and clothes in the back of the closet.  After a month or so, "Go Shopping" in the closet to "purchase" a new set of clothes and toys.  

And then rotate the other ones back into storage!

P. S.  This works for grown-ups too!  

For the past five months, I have kept about 4 shirts and 4 pants in rotation.
The rest are stored.  After 30 days, I swap.  It really does feel like going shopping!
Was initially inspired by the Six Items or Less experiment.
 Please see blog archives:
(What to Wear - "Do or do not, there is no try").

Declaring Order in a Storage Room - Drifts

     Was too busy with volunteer school reading programs for personal pleasure reading.  Re-read the same first sentence, "It was not my fault," of my book club book, Amy Tan's, Saving Fish From Drowning, at least six times.  Had decided to attend the meeting without reading the book.
     As luck would have it, book club was rescheduled!  In anticipation of an impending blizzard, a new date was selected.  I was off the hook - so to speak.

Snow drift

     An organizing book, The Clutter Cure, caught my attention after a sweaty bout of driveway drift shoveling...    
     The first sentence, "Why are you keeping that old thing?" was amusing, as it went quite nicely with, "It was not my fault."  Which got me to thinking about the "Declaring Order in a Storage Room" project (see archives).   It was left unfinished due to unexpected illness and the heavily anticipated blizzards...

Fortunately, the blizzard of leftovers (read - memories) had been left in manageable drifts...

Purple Drift

Light Blue Drift

"It was not my fault."  
Into each life, a little snow must fall.
And I'll get back to clearing those drifts.
Right after I finish 
(Er...re-re-re-re-re-re-re-start!) 
my book...

TOP TEN BLIZZARD TIPS

"Snow and adolescence are the only problems that disappear if you ignore them long enough." ~ Earl Wilson...

Hard to ignore the blizzard of information about the impending blizzard headed into the Chicago area! 

The following link (courtesy of Chiff.com) is comprehensive and well-written. 

Enjoy! 

And go charge your phone :) 

TOP TEN BLIZZARD TIPS (Click Me)

-------------------------------------------------------------------

JUST FOR FUN: They Name Hurricanes Don't They?

Chicago Tribune List:

Snowtorious BIG

SNOMG!

Tsnownami

Snowprah

OhSnowYouDidn't...