Strength in Numbers

I love early mornings. Most days I am up between 4:00 and 5:00am. Over the years, the quiet time that turns night into day has been 'me time'.  I'll often read for a bit and I then spend a few minutes going over the day's To-Do list on the kitchen counter.

Yesterday, coffee in hand, I headed to my favorite wing chair, settled in and began to look through the stack of magazines that have been piling up. I started with the April issue of Better Homes and Gardens by reading the editors letter (Between Friends). I'm impressed! The team at BH&G are whipping themselves into a spring cleaning and organizing frenzy - love to hear that!

But, that's not all, they've started a program called Clean out for Kids™. Basically, you tackle your spring cleaning, get the house organized then hold a yard sale and send the proceeds to Share our Strength®, an organization that is working to make "No Kid Hungry by 2015" a reality.

I don't know about you, but some much-overdue spring cleaning is at the top of my to-do list this month. And, while I'm pretty good at keeping things cleaned out - I know I'll have some items that could easily go into a yard sale or on Craigslist. Hmm, perhaps a collaborative effort in the neighborhood combined with an after sale BBQ might just get us all in the cleaning mood?

In the meantime, (since hosting a yard sale in the drippy Pacific Northwest before August (not really but it often feels that way!) won't bring in the crowds any time soon, I'm going to contribute in another way, and you can too.

Go to beiteversohumble.com and click on the Raw Materials section of the site. Once there, you'll find a cause I started called The Ties that Bind. Now through the month of April, Raw Materials will donate a portion of every sale to Share our Strength®,

The way I see it, Clean Out for Kids and Share our Strength is a win-win for everyone. We get busy cleaning and organizing (probably need to do it anyway), and kids benefit at the same time.

What could be easier?

What's Normal?

This has been a busy week, a good week and for me a "normal" week.

Most importantly, my daughter is completely pain free from the kidney infection that hospitalized her and subsequently set her back from her studies for two weeks. She was able to get back to school, back to the barn and back to normal.

On another positive note, my husband and I have fully recovered from lingering effects of the flu we so generously shared with each other. It's good to be reminded once in awhile that feeling normal is often taken for granted!

For me, having a normal work week means packing in as much as I can. I love what I do, so why not do more? Nobody forces me to try to "do it all", I enjoy the challenge. However by weeks end, often my best laid plans were not all accomplished - that's normal.

I sent Elizabeth her kitchen plans. We chatted about ideas for a few minutes and when we were about to hang up she said "Here I am a professional organizer and I don't have a clue where to start with this kitchen remodel!" I laughed and reassured her - that's normal!


I don't normally take time out for lunch. Usually, I get wrapped up in my day, grab something quick and press on. But Thursday I met an old friend. We sat for much longer than most normally would, however it was fun to catch up. Plus, every time we get together (maybe twice a year), I come away feeling I can tackle anything! That's not normal!

What's been unusual this week, is that I have received lots of messages and questions (which I love to answer), thanks to the mention of the Be it Ever so Humble website and blog in the Fresh section of the April issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine. It's not everyday the world's leading women's magazine gives you a plug! While it's normal to want to thank them, I'm not sure I'll ever be able to relay to them how very thankful I am for their kind support.

Speaking of the blog, one of the questions I received this week was from a woman who wrote "You're going to think this is HORRIBLE, but "I've NEVER learned to have a regular housekeeping schedule!" She stated "Most women I know do certain things on certain days" and closed by wondering, "Can you teach a woman to be a better housekeeper"?

I immediately responded and hopefully put her at ease. I admitted to her that I don't have a regular schedule either! I tried to assure her that while I do attempt to keep up during the week, it's normal for me to let a few things slide. I attached a couple of links from previous posts I'd written on the subject. I hope it helped.

I gathered from her email address, that she is a nurse. That says to me that she probably doesn't have normal work schedule! Most nurses I know don't have normal nine-to-five jobs unless they are in an office situation or have seniority at a hospital. Frankly, if you've chosen to comfort and care for others as your life's work, it's understandable that keeping a perfectly tidy house is not at the top of your to-do list!

My point in sharing her question? It's normal to think that what everybody else does is normal.

It's not.

What's normal is that everyone's situation is different. We don't need guilt, we don't need to feel judged or feel we must do things like others do them. However, those feelings are normal. 

When I decided to start this site, my hope was to share a variety of unique ideas, tips and solutions that could potentially help to make your home and family run smoother. Most importantly however, I hope that you've discovered all of our situations are different and that there is no right or wrong way to go about being "organized". Yes, it comes naturally to me, I find it challenging and fun, but not everybody does -  and that's normal!

Elizabeth Gets a New Kitchen

Sounds like the title of a kids book doesn't it? Well, it's no fairytale. Elizabeth and Ian can quit dreaming and finally start to plan their new kitchen.

Some of you have read this blog long enough know that Elizabeth is my cousin who along with her family live a few miles outside of Boston proper. Elizabeth owns That's Neat! Organizing. She and I write about organizing and last year we collaborated on our 2011 calendar project.

Not long after their daughter Paige was born, they soon realized they were eventually going to need more space than their small duplex had. A wonderful but needs-a-lot-of-work, new-old-home with a very inefficient kitchen was purchased. After several years of planning, scrimping and saving, they're ready to undertake a serious kitchen update.

The above "before" pictures show the current kitchen, with old vinyl flooring, out-dated appliances, NO counter space, inefficient lighting, seating and heating, and LOTS of wasted room. Honestly, Elizabeth has been more than just a little patient, don't you think?

About a year ago, she asked if I'd help her plan and design the project. When we finally got started, Elizabeth confessed she had no idea where to start. I won't say I was surprised, quite the contrary. This is often the case when remodeling, but especially true with a kitchen or bath. I gave her a to-do list that would help her and I to eventually design the kitchen of her dreams.

Today I thought I'd begin to share the process of organizing a kitchen remodeling project in hopes that it might help you too.

My number one suggestion? Start with a "Good/Better/Best" list.

First, list all of the things that would be good (and essential), in your new kitchen. This list should include appliances, plumbing fixtures, cabinetry, storage, counter tops, lighting, flooring, tile (backsplash) and hardware. Think "the basics".

Next, add to the list the things that would make the kitchen an even better space. Perhaps it might include higher end appliances and cabinetry? Double ovens? A warming drawer? Maybe two sinks and an island? A walk-in pantry? You get the picture.

Finally, create a third category that includes your pie-in-the-sky, over-the-top, if-you-had-the-resources-to-have-whatever-you-want list. This might include structural changes like moving walls, windows and doors, top-of-the-line appliances and cabinetry. Would an addition make sense?

The purpose of going through this process will help make you aware of what you simply must have, what would be nice to have, and if you can swing it, would be your ideal kitchen.

Most importantly though, this will begin to help you create your budget, because to do any project, especially a kitchen, you must have a budget in mind. And, it's going to be one of the first few questions any contractor is going to ask you!

I hope you'll check back later this week where I'll give you more tips on how to prioritize and organize a kitchen remodel. In the coming months, I'll share updates on Elizabeth's entire project from beginning to end.

In the meantime, if you're thinking about a remodeling project, I'd love to hear all about your plans.

It's the Little Things

Five days a week I start out by heading to the gym about 6am. However a bump in the road - or I should say a bump on the knee due to a Pickle Ball fall last Friday - made for a change in plans. (Don't ask - it wasn't pretty!) No big deal, my husband ended up on jury duty today and he needed an early ride to the bus stop anyway.

After dropping him off at the bus stop, I decided today would be a good day to tackle a few small things that if not attended to in a timely manner always turn into bigger things. Things like cleaning out the fridge, organizing some mid-monthly paperwork and cleaning out some old issues of cooking magazines, to name a few.

While in the kitchen this morning, cleaning the refrigerator, I looked up to see three little clementines perched on my kitchen windowsill. They were almost past their prime so I peeled and stored them for tomorrow morning's smoothie. But not before I took their picture. The morning light was so pretty and they made me smile. What a nice way to start my day - my week.

As I worked my way through the fridge, I came upon a few leftovers that had been wrapped in plastic. Dare I check to see what's inside? As usual, it was an exercise in frustration to find the end of the wrap with my fingernail to start peeling it open.

But in an ah-ha moment I thought, why not put one of these little labels that I use for a variety of labeling needs on the end of the wrap! That way, when I'm ready to use up the leftover, I can easily get it opened. It works! From now on, I'm doing this for sure and I'll write the contents of the package and the date on the label too.

Here are a couple of other uses I have found for those little labels:

When wrapping and storing cheese (it's best to wrap it in waxed paper and then plastic wrap), I label each block, write the name of the cheese and the date. This way, I can easily identify what I have and use it up. A big plus too - no more moldy science projects at the back of the fridge!

I use a label to date the bottoms of my spice jars too. I do my best to purchase my spices in bulk so when I need to refill a spice jar, I stick one of the labels on the bottom of the jar with the date it was refilled. That way I know how old my spices are.

It's really true, it's often the little things that bring the most joy and do the most good.

Can you Help?

I planned to write today about a kitchen remodel project I'm working on. This particular kitchen is located in Boston and belongs to my cousin Elizabeth. It's been a great week of drawing, designing, and organizing.

However, like many of you, I awoke this morning to news about the devastating earthquake in Japan. In just a few seconds, many lost their loved ones and their homes.

It's times like these that remind us to be thankful for all we have. Also, in times like these, many of us want to help. If you are searching for ways to donate to those who lost so much, Save the Children is a well-respected organization that has already begun to organize relief efforts for the earthquake victims. Elizabeth knows this organization well, she spent the early part of her career working and traveling for the charity.

Right now, before I continue to work on Elizabeth's plans, I'm making a donation. If you are able, a donation to Save the Children will quickly begin to provide relief to children and families who are so desperately in need.

What a Ride

Under the life is never boring heading, last week's stresses proved eventful through the weekend. Thinking daughter Kate was well on her way to Dillon, MT to  compete in the English Regional Riding Championships, I was comforted knowing she was on the mend.

That sense of bliss lasted about an hour before I got a call from a teammate telling me they were in a hospital Emergency Room in Dillon. Turns out the medication for the kidney infection was not cooperating with her stomach. Combined with a splitting headache due to the lingering effects of the previous week's spinal tap, I was beginning to second-guess the doctor's OK for her to go.

Thank God for good friends and teammates whom forfeited their morning classes to care for Kate. Mind you, this is the year-end championship for the region and all three were well into the points race, vying for a spot for the Zones competition in southern California in April.

Needless to say, Kate and I spent a few minutes discussing her common sense! Even thinking of getting on a horse (especially one she didn't know) was NOT going to be in the cards this weekend! She agreed and promised she would lay low. She spent the day laying flat in her Motel 8 hotel room knowing well her season was over.

Come Sunday morning, I received a text from her saying "I feel soooooooo good!" My best efforts could not keep her down and she headed to the arena 'just to watch'. Uh-huh. Let's just say I had a feeling said daughter's common sense had not yet recovered!

A few hours later I get another call, "Um, mom, you're gonna kill me". "WHAT?" I say. "Ummmm, I just took second place in my class and I won Regional Reserve Champion! I'm heading to California!" (site of the Zone championships.)

Chalk it up to gumption and guts (and a riding helmet that probably fits too tight, therefore restricting blood flow to the common sense lobe of the brain)!

My final comment on this matter: PLEASE take your health seriously. Then - "go get'em girl. I am so proud of you!"

Chalk it up to Real Life

It's been quite a week. Monday started out with a call from Trader Joe's telling me I won their weekly drawing and was quickly followed by an an email from a favorite editor at Better Homes and Gardens with a project in mind. Things were definitely looking up after spending the previous week battling the flu.

Come Tuesday morning however, I received a call from my daughter who is away at college, complaining of a very sore back. I figured it to be a flare up from a riding injury she sustained years ago. She agreed and headed off to class.

Wednesday morning brought another call, this time flat on her back with a high temperature. After failing to score an appointment at the campus health clinic, thanks to her "House Mom" at the sorority, she's on her way to the immediate care clinic who quickly send her to ER! I get a call from a daughter in severe pain with a very high temperature, and a doc who wants to know if she'd been vaccinated for Meningitis.

Holy you-know-what! Mama Bear is 8 hours away and my daughter is about to have a spinal tap to test for a very serious illness! My husband and I made the mistake of looking up Spinal Meningitis on the internet. BIG MISTAKE! I immediately started looking for flights to Missoula - nothing 'till morning.

Test results start coming in, I have a conversation with the ER doc. Not yet ruling out Spinal Meningitis, (she had been vaccinated), we move on to her kidneys.

Long story short - that was the culprit. A severe kidney infection which kept Kate hospitalized for 2 nights. With a hearty helping of intravenous antibiotics - she was released Friday afternoon!

Needless to say - my plans for the week were a teensy bit interrupted! However, not a total loss. Thursday evening I was able to keep a speaking engagement and was fortunate enough to talk to an amazing group of professional women about organizing. Take that, real life!!

And so it goes. I've been writing this blog for nine weeks now - real life has trumped my schedule for two successive weeks. Still - most days - I feel I end up in the plus column. The way I see the it - real life reminds us to live it - get through it and be thankful for what we have. I have a daughter on the mend. What else could I ask for?

So, Monday begins a new week and a new outlook. I'm raring to give 'er a go, I hope you'll stay tuned.

In the meantime, this morning my daughter and her infected kidneys left before dawn for Dillon, Montana to compete in the English Regionals Horse Show. We couldn't believe the doc OK'd her to go! He said she might be a bit uncomfortable at the sitting trot. With a smile I say this - a Montana doctor probably would know just how that might feel!

Have a great weekend!